"What is a barrier-free kiosk? This is the first time I've heard of it."
On the 3rd, at a tonkatsu restaurant in Jung-gu, Seoul, measuring about 70 square meters (approximately 21 pyeong). Since January 28 of this year, small business sites with an area of more than 50 square meters and fewer than 100 customers are required to install barrier-free products for kiosks. However, regular table-type kiosks that do not meet barrier-free requirements were installed at each table.
A barrier-free kiosk refers to an unmanned payment device equipped with features such as voice output, facial recognition, sign language video guidance, and Braille functionality, considering the convenience of social minorities such as persons with disabilities and the elderly. Its installation has been made mandatory under the amended Act on the Prohibition of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities. Violators may face fines of up to 30 million won.
Nam Mo (50), who runs this establishment, expressed surprise, saying, "If it’s a government law, it should be changed, but for now, I’ll keep an eye on the situation," adding, "Since business isn’t going well, there seems to be a strong backlash from self-employed individuals."
As the installation of kiosks for persons with disabilities has become mandatory, it appears that the majority of small business owners are not even aware of this fact. Barrier-free kiosks can be up to three times more expensive than regular kiosks, which poses a significant burden for small self-employed individuals. Moreover, no specific support measures have been established, further intensifying confusion.
A franchise owner of a sundae soup restaurant in Seoul stated, "There hasn’t been any official document from the government," adding, "Franchises follow the headquarters' directives, and the headquarters has not communicated anything about it either."
There were also cases where barrier-free kiosks had been installed. A franchise udon restaurant in Seocho-gu has two regular kiosks in the store but added two barrier-free kiosks at the beginning of January.
Barrier-free kiosks have almost no visible differences from regular kiosks but offer additional features. When the 'help function' at the bottom of the screen is pressed, users can choose between the usual 'touch order' option and a 'low-position order.' If the low-position order is selected, only the lower half of the kiosk screen will display the selection window, allowing it to be accessed even while seated in a wheelchair. The audio volume for guidance can also be adjusted, and there is a function to adjust screen contrast.
However, the prompt introduction of barrier-free kiosks by the establishment is believed to be due to it being a directly managed store by the headquarters. The manager, B, said, "We introduced the devices following directives from the headquarters," adding, "I was unaware of the barrier-free kiosk amendment itself."
In fact, according to a survey conducted by the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises on the 'Current Status of Small Business Kiosk Utilization and Policy Discovery for 2024,' 85.6% of the 402 kiosk-utilizing companies responded that they are 'unaware' of the implementation of the amendment.
The Small Enterprise and Market Service (SEMS), which supports the installation of kiosks for self-employed individuals, has not yet selected any recipients for support.
According to SEMS, the announcement for the 2025 small business support fund will be posted at the end of February. The full application for funds will begin in March. During this period, if individuals with disabilities report discomfort, it will be difficult to avoid penalties.
Choosing a barrier-free kiosk that does not violate the law is also a burden for business owners. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, kiosks that fall under this amendment must comply with the accessibility verification standards set by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
According to the Korea Information Society Agency, which handles accessibility verification, there are a total of 10 verification criteria, including ▲ hand or arm movement support ▲ reaction time support ▲ vision support and alternatives ▲ color identification ability support. In particular, the reaction time support criterion requires meeting up to 13 verification standards, indicating that the burden on business owners may increase.
Accordingly, even among self-employed individuals who are aware of this fact, there is a response to temporarily hold off on installing kiosks. Posts like "If I endure for now, will it be okay?" and "If just replacing the keypad is enough, let’s wait and see" have appeared in the Naver self-employed community.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare has stated that the mandatory installation of barrier-free kiosks is not intended to punish business owners. A ministry official noted, "Even if a report is received, we will go through corrective measures for the establishment," adding, "This is not an attempt to immediately punish the business owner."
Experts unanimously stress the need for government support. Jang Young-soo, a professor at Korea University’s Law School, said, "The government’s mandatory measures for barrier-free kiosks could be criticized as desk legislation since they do not consider the practical burdens faced by those involved and focus solely on the legitimacy of the objective. To implement the system more effectively, the government should consider systematic support measures and make active efforts to reflect the voices from the field."