There is a very special way of giving a massage in South Korea, and there is a remarkable story behind it.
Let’s face it, getting a massage is one of the most relaxing things in the world. Especially after the tiredness of the day, a relaxing massage can make us sleep like babies.
However, if you want to get a massage in South Korea, it can only be done by visually impaired individuals. But why?
If anyone with full eyesight does this work, it is considered against the law
Although it sounds quite unusual to our ears, the origins of this law and the reasons for its continuation are just as interesting.
Beginning in 1910 with Japan’s invasion of Korea, the story goes back to 1912 or 1913, when the law was first enacted.
The law was actually reintroduced by South Korea in the 1960s, not during the Japanese occupation.
In 2006, it came to the fore with protests organised by people who are not visually impaired.
The protests became so violent that there were even reports of some visually impaired people committing suicide. This law, which was enacted to protect the livelihoods of the visually impaired and to provide them with employment opportunities, was perceived as discrimination by non-visually impaired people.
The Constitutional Court ruled on this issue in 2008 and confirmed that only visually impaired people can work as masseurs.
Although the decision caused a great deal of controversy within the community, the court ruled to uphold the law as it provided a stable source of income and the opportunity for the visually impaired to lead a dignified life.
Although there is still disagreement about the correctness of this law, the step taken by South Korea to protect a disadvantaged community group and provide them with a respectable job opportunity is certainly admirable.
