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The Foundational Study of the Conceptual Systems of Disabilities in Korea: A Critical Review on Literatures

Han Hyun-min 1

1대진대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The purposes of the present study is to determine the original meaning of JANGAE (meaning disorder, impairment, disability, handicap, and etc. in Korean) and to investigate the origin of that word. In the study, related literatures were reviewed critically. The sources of JANJIL, PHEJIL, and DOKJIL used in pre-modern times in Korea and their meaning is reconsidered, respectively. In the legal documents (including laws and regulations) of modern times (referring to the colonial times by imperialised Japanese and U.S. Arm-governed times), the terms of BULGU, PHEJIL, JANGAE, and JANGHYE were found and their origin and courses of changes were examined. Also, the definitions of the terms used in classifications of World Health Organization (WHO), that is disorder, impairment, disability, handicap, and the others, were examined and compared to those of academic literatures written in english. In addition, the social being and living statues of the peoples with disabilities in pre-modern times were compared to those of modern and recent times. The conclusions is two-fold: First, the term JANGAE (including JANGHYE) is the result of introduction of western (including Japanes) cultures to Korea. Second, as the results of the new term, the being and living statues of the peoples with disabilities were changed (i.e. separated from society and institutionalized). The study suggest that the alternatives of present terms should be presented and examined and that the extensive researches on the social inclusion of peoples with disabilities are required. The further studies of the present studies is in need, too.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.