Noh Hyun-nyeong, 29, was a competitive swimmer with a disability who faced the end of his athletic career due to physical limitations. Discouraged, Noh found a new turning point in life after joining a career exploration art program for people with disabilities run by the city of Siheung, Gyeonggi Province.
Noh, who had long enjoyed drawing the 12 zodiac animals, blossomed as an artist and was selected as an emerging artist at the 2025 CANVAS Art Fair held in Seoul in November last year, earning recognition for his potential as a full-time professional artist.
As cases like Noh's multiply — people with disabilities opening a "second chapter" in life through lifelong learning — Siheung's related policies are drawing attention. According to the city on May 5, Siheung operated a total of 20 lifelong learning programs for people with disabilities last year, ranging from Korean literacy and financial education to digital literacy and emotional wellness courses.
The city's "outreach lifelong learning program for people with disabilities," in which people with and without disabilities learn together, has been particularly well received. Instructors travel to the time and place preferred by learners, significantly improving learning accessibility for people with disabilities.
The instructor who mentored Noh is himself an artist with a disability. Kim Chae-seong, an artist from Siheung, was introduced to art with the help of a special education teacher during his school years. He went on to establish Artguys, a social enterprise supporting artistic activities and independence for people with developmental disabilities. In the second half of last year, Kim personally guided 10 participants recruited from welfare centers for people with disabilities, a lifelong education support center, and special education classes through a full curriculum spanning basic art techniques, free creative work, team projects, and guardian consultations to uncover new talents.
The results have been notable. In addition to Noh, Choi Ha-nui, 18, exhibited work at the same art fair. Yeom Ji-eun, 30, who had made dolls as a hobby, commercialized her creations, displayed and sold them at Siheung city events, and successfully landed a job as a doll artist. What began as simple hobby activities led to economic independence and social participation.
The central government has been promoting its "Lifelong Learning Cities for People with Disabilities" policy, refining the system to strengthen competency development and guarantee learning rights for people with disabilities at the local level. Siheung has been a frontrunner — establishing a dedicated team within its lifelong learning division in 2024, updating related municipal ordinances, and earning designation as a lifelong learning city for people with disabilities to lay a policy foundation. The city has also built a cooperative network in which local universities and institutions develop programs while welfare centers handle operations, organically connecting policy and practice.
This year, Siheung plans to pursue 17 to 19 projects across six areas, including a certification system for disability-friendly lifelong learning spaces, the outreach "Smart Learning" program, and expanded online courses. The city also plans to open a Lifelong Learning Center for People with Disabilities within the Jeongwang Lifelong Learning Center to secure dedicated educational space.
"Lifelong learning for people with disabilities is not just about education — it is directly tied to quality of life," a city official said. "We will continue working to create an environment where anyone in the community can learn and grow without discrimination."