This year, brisk preparations for implementing the DPRK strategy on development of the work to protect the disabled (2019-2020) were conducted in recovery, education, culture, provision of working conditions and other major fields.

The Central Committee of the Korean Federation for the Protection of the Disabled propelled the work to draw up the first-stage development strategy and implement it in close touch with commissions, ministries, national institutions and organizations of the disabled.

On the basis of the achievements and experience gained in implementing the 2017 anti-disaster plan, it worked out action program for 2018 and pushed ahead wit its implementation.

It also expanded free ride service for the disabled in some local areas, including North Phyongan and South Hamgyong provinces.

Seminars and passing-on-techniques for rehabilitation were frequently organized and a large number of children with disabilities underwent successful operations.

Meanwhile, the Central Committee carried on such works as medical check-up, repair of prosthetic apparatuses and supply of auxiliary tools for thousands of persons with disabilities and provided the provincial hospitals with materials needed for the recovery of eyesight disorder.

It created a model of sign language education and provided a foundation to generalize it in cooperation with the Korean Rehabilitation Centre for Children with Disability and a class for early sign language education of the Korean Economic and Cultural Exchange Company for the Deaf, Blind and Dumb.

And it improved the content and method of expertise education and helped build greenhouses with big capacity at Unjon Deaf School of North Phyongan Province and Pongchon Deaf School of South Hwanghae Province.

It also arranged the 2018 spring and autumn table-tennis tournaments for disabled persons and amateurs, the music and dance performance of members of art group of the Korean Art Association of the Disabled and other cultural events for the disabled persons.

Persons with disabilities proved successful at the 12th Winter Paralympics, the 3rd Asian Para Games and other international games.

A progress was made in the exchange and cooperation with international bodies, national associations and overseas Koreans' organizations related to the protection of the disabled this year. More than 50 delegations visited the facilities for the protection of the disabled, while the Committee conducted close cooperation with the missions of the UNICEF and the European Union Programme Support here in various fields.