Ensuring deaf people's right to access information

Hello!
This is Soo-yeon Jeon from Peace Winds Korea.

Today I would like to share with you the news about the DeafNuri's new challenge. August was significant for DeafNuri because they guided foreign deaf people in Korea. The theme of the tour was peace.

Here is DeafNuri's message:

Dear our valued donors,

Hello everyone! We can't believe that a month has gone by so quickly. We guess time really does fly. How have you been?
August was an important month for our DeafNuri because we guided foreign deaf people. It was a little hard to explain in ISL (International Sign Language) every step, but we were really happy and feel rewarded. Especially we were so surprised because foreign deaf people were interested in the Peace Tour. We wanted to make a peace tour for foreign deaf people, including Korean deaf people, and show them everything soon.
We'll prepare as soon as possible the barrier-free tour (peace tour, domestic tourism) starting in September. In addition, September is the month when the preliminary social enterprise applications open, so we'll be busy preparing.
We are looking forward to the 'DeafNuri' next month! Well, I hope all is well with you all :) We'll get back to you!

Best Wishes,
Deafnuri.

Hello.

This is Soo-yeon Jeon from Peace Winds Korea.

Today, I would like to share Deafnuri's message.

Dear, our valued donors.

Hello, it is too hot in Korea right now. Even though the weather is hot, I'm very happy because we've had very busy days in July.

The World Federation of the Deaf(WFD) Congress was held from the 11th to the 15th of July at the International Convention Center(ICC )in Jeju Island. Many people from the rest of the world attended the WFD Congress. There were a lot of deaf people all over. I was really happy to meet people from the deaf community in Jeju.

In WFD, we sold a limited number of products. And our company "DeafNuri" promoted our project to many deaf people from other countries. It was an opportunity to generate publicity for DeafNuri. They encouraged our company: "DeafNuri, your company is playing an important role in helping Deaf's right and BarrierFree. I hope all your business is going well!". It was very fulfilling to hear that. We successfully completed our company promotion.

After that, we went straight to Seoul to prepare for another event. We attended a seminar on BarrierFree at Lotte World Tower with a panoramic view of Seoul. It was a great experience.

It's been a really busy July this year, But I'm proud that we've had a bit more growth. Was your July special as well? We are wondering how you spent time in July. I hope all is well with you all :) We'll be back!

Best Wishes,
Deafnuri.

Hello.

This is Nuri Park from Peace Winds Korea.

I'd like to share some good news from Defnur with our valued donors!

DeafNuri has received funding and successfully introduced a bunch of cool products designed with the perspective of the Deaf community in Korea. This marked the first time these products were showcased, which took place in mid-May.

The funding campaign was hosted on the Korean online platform called 'Tumblbug' and lasted for one and a half months. They are thrilled to announce that the campaign exceeded its fundraising goal, reaching an impressive 126% of the target. The response from our sponsors has been overwhelmingly positive, generating a lot of excitement.

You can see these amazing products with attached pictures. 

We'll make sure to keep you in the loop with our progress and bring you more good news down the line. Stay tuned for their next update. Thanks for your support!

Best regards,

Nuri Park.

Hello

This is Nuri Park from Peace Winds Korea.

Today, I will share the interview stories of two members sent by DeafNuri.

Firstly, let's talk to Jiye(a pseudonym), who recently joined DeafNuri this year.

DeafNuri: Hello! Could you please introduce yourself?

Jiye: Hello. I'm Jiye, a new member of DeafNuri from February 2023. I'm so honored to meet you.

DeafNuri: Wow~ Since February... What was your experience like working as a member of DeafNuri for the past four months?

Jiye: First of all, I have worked from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the office. I had a lot of fun being directly involved in the process of planning businesses as a Deaf person. Information access authority is an important right for Deaf people. I've particularly enjoyed learning how to defend their rights and how to work as part of a team.

DeafNuri: I see. What are the expectations of you while working for DeafNuri this year?

Jiye: I want to work together towards the vision that DeafNuri dreams of. Also, as a member of DeafNuri, I want to discover the small things I can do to make a positive impact on everyone, including the Deaf community.

This is the end of Jiye's interview, and Jiye's future actions are highly anticipated.

Let's move on: We hear from Youngjin(a pseudonym) who has worked as a member of the DeafNuri since 2022.

DeafNuri: Hello! Please introduce yourself.

Youngjin: Hello. I’m Youngjin, and I have been working as a member of the DeafNuri since 2022. I’m very glad to meet you.

DeafNuri: What did you do last year with Deafnuri, And what are you doing this year?

Youngjin: I was really busy from last fall until January this year because DeafNuri’s business and project were chosen by a project called 'TongIlNaNum'. So I filmed and edited the South Korea Deaf Summit videos. Although the work was very hard it was a valued experience. Since I have a main job, it is challenging for me to participate fully in DeafNuri. Nevertheless, I am trying to participate meeting or preliminary survey whenever possible. I am so pleased that DeafNuri made a remarkable progress so far.

DeafNuri: Do you have something to say to the DeafNuri?

Youngjin: I hope you do well! Also, I hope DeafNuri continues to grow up rapidly. Cheer up!

Thank you for reading.

Please look forward to the next Defnuri report!

Nuri Park.

Hello.

This is Nuri Park from Peace Winds Korea.

This week, we're excited to share the story of the "South-North Sign Language Travel Book" with our valuable donors!

This book was recently awarded the grand prize in the 2021 Peace Open Lab project sponsored by Peace Winds Korea. The book offers explanations of North Korea's major tourist attractions in South Korean sign language. It also includes video conversations in North Korea's sign language accessible via QR codes.

1. Can you explain the reason behind creating the "South-North Sign Language Travel Book"?

I created the book because i realized there were no travel books for the deaf. I was inspired by a German deaf traveler's stories about North Korea. This sparked my interest in the differences between North and South sign languages. The book aims to reduce these differences, promote reunification, and make travel easier for the deaf.

2. Can you tell us more about the differences between South and North Korean sign languages?

Despite sharing cultures, South and North Korean sign languages have significant differences, making communication without an interpreter impossible. For example, the signs for 'understand' and 'peanut' are different in each language. Experts estimate that the two sign languages only match about 13-29%, compared to 60-70% for South Korean and Japanese sign languages.

3. How do you gather information about North Korean sign language?

We obtain information through various means, including research from the Kyeore Mal Dictionary, as well as gathering stories from foreign deaf individuals who have experience with North Korea.

4. What changes might occur in South and North Korean sign languages if unification happens?

Both South and North Korean sign languages have unique strengths. North Korean sign language places emphasis on political and military terminology, while South Korean sign language has a broader vocabulary. On the other hand, North Korean sign language may be more efficient in certain areas. For example, North Korean sign language has a specific sign for "embassy," while South Korean sign language does not. Combining the strengths of both sign languages could lead to the development of a unified sign language after reunification, better serving the needs of the deaf community.

5. Can you explain the current plans and status of the "South-North Sign Language Travel Conversation Book" project?

We've completed 45% of the book project, with tourist attraction information converted into accessible language and North Korean Sign Language illustrations 80% done. However, obtaining visuals to accompany content requires significant budget allocation. We aim to publish the book in the second half of the year, supported by GlobalGiving and other organizations.

6. Finally, what are your expectations after it is published?

While the plan to invite North Korean deaf people to the WFD Congress in July fell through, we still hope to make it happen in the future to foster cultural exchange and bring the deaf communities of South and North Korea closer together. Despite travel restrictions, supporting this project is meaningful, and we hope it can promote cultural integration for both deaf and hearing individuals. We also aim to translate our travel guide book for deaf individuals into various languages to assist those interested in North Korea and increase understanding of its culture.

Thank you for reading!

Best regards,

Nuri Park.