Show are samples of braille on packages of food, medicine and cosmetics. (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety)

By Kim Hyelin

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on April 18 said it is expanding its policy toward the use of braille and sign language videos so that the visually or hearing impaired can access information necessary for purchasing and using food and medicine.

In December last year, the ministry revised the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Foods to serve as the legal foundation to support braille labeling in food products. Based on this, government guidelines were released on the code conversion display standards for detailed braille marks and voice and sign language videos based on the shapes and materials of product containers and packaging.

Sign language expressions for about 200 food-related terms were developed, and a manual for making sign language videos promotes the use of such terms.

On July 21 last year, the marking of such codes in braille and audio/sign language videos was made mandatory for first-aid safety medicine in the pharmaceutical and quasi-drug sector.

The ministry recommends the use of braille on medical devices. It will also develop terminology related to such items for sign language not included in the regular sign language system and produce related sign language videos on safety information reflecting these developments.

In addition to braille, the ministry set up the legal foundation for marking codes for voice or sign language videos. The amendment to the Cosmetics Act will also take effect on July 2.

Minister Oh Yu-Kyoung said, "We will actively pursue policies to apply braille and other text to a wider range of products so that the visually or hearing impaired can access information on food and medical products more easily."

kimhyelin211@korea.kr