[Sportschosun Park Araem] Kang Won-rae of the group Clon expressed sadness over how society views wheelchairs.
On the 16th, Kang shared a conversation with an acquaintance on his personal account and spoke about rehabilitation treatment and wheelchair use.
According to the post, Kang recently met an acquaintance who had badly injured one leg and was using crutches. After seeing him walk with difficulty, Kang expressed concern, saying, "It must be hard to walk on crutches at your age."
The acquaintance replied, "Still, wouldn't it help me exercise and recover faster if I walk even a little?" Kang then explained his view from a rehabilitation perspective.
Kang said, "In advanced countries, rehabilitation would have someone in your condition use a wheelchair for a while, and for exercise, they often practice walking in a pool so as not to strain the legs or body." He added that "using a wheelchair for the time being can put less strain on the whole body."
However, another person nearby said, "Don't say such things just to be nasty. What if you end up using a wheelchair for the rest of your life?" Kang reportedly replied, "You're right, I'm sorry."
Netizens who saw the post reacted with comments such as, "That's so rude," and "It makes me sad to think about how negatively our society views disabilities and assistive devices like wheelchairs."
Meanwhile, Kang was diagnosed with paralysis below the waist after a motorcycle accident in 2000. He married singer Kim Song in 2003, and the couple has one son.
tokkig@sportschosun.com
