Busan, South Korea – The city of Busan held a grand opening ceremony on November 13th for the second "Narae Bus," a city tour bus designed to provide accessible transportation for people with disabilities.
The ceremony was attended by Busan Mayor Park Hyung-jun, Kim Eun-soo, CEO of Dongil Corporation, Lee Su-tae, chairman of the Busan Community Chest, and Jo Chang-yong, chairman of the Busan Federation of the Disabled.
During a donation ceremony held on April 17th, Dongil Corporation pledged funds to support vulnerable groups in Busan. In collaboration with the Busan Community Chest and the Busan Federation of the Disabled, it was agreed that the funds would be used to ensure equal access to transportation for people with disabilities. Consequently, the funds were allocated to the purchase of the second Narae Bus.
The new Narae Bus is a 28-seater vehicle equipped with lifts and six wheelchair spaces. To emphasize the importance of promoting the rights of people with disabilities, the design of the bus incorporates a winning artwork from the 2024 Busan Developmental Disabilities Art Contest.
Starting this month, the second Narae Bus will operate two round trips daily alongside the existing Narae Bus. In the future, the service will be expanded to include routes in Ulsan and Gyeongnam, enabling people with disabilities to enjoy trips outside of Busan. Reservations can be made through the Narae Bus website (naraebus.com) or by contacting the Busan Federation of the Disabled.
Since the launch of the first Narae Bus in May 2023, it has been operating on two routes, East Busan and West Busan, from Tuesday to Saturday. On days when there are no bus tours, the bus is used for long-distance trips to other regions.
A Busan city official stated, "By securing transportation for people with disabilities, we aim to create a 'Disability-Friendly Busan' where individuals with disabilities can play an active role in our city."
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