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The worn soles of President Moon’s shoes are visible as he bows to commemorate victims of the 5.18 Democratic Movement in Gwangju in 2017. (Blue House Photo Pool)
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Scene of Making Shoes had been forced to close due to prejudices over its employment of disabled workers
Scene of Making Shoes is relaunching its business four years after closing down. The manufacturer for AGIO, a footwear brand employing disabled workers, is best-known for producing shoes worn by current President Moon Jae-in. In a seventh-floor conference room at city hall on the afternoon of Jan. 19, the city of Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province signed a work agreement for activation of social economy to support the business, which has opened a factory in the city’s Sangdaewon neighborhood. According to the agreement, the city will provide the necessary consulting, resource linkage, and market support needed for cooperative operation to help Scene of Making Shoes grow as a social economy enterprise. Mayor Lee Jae-myung also met with CEO Yu Seok-young, 56, and other company officials the same day to offer encouragement and place his own customized shoe order. The company began in Mar. 2010 as a handmade shoe manufacturer in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, but ultimately went out of business in Sept. 2013 after experiencing difficulties stemming from prejudices over its employment of disabled workers. Last year, however, the company drew attention as the makers of “Moon Jae-in’s shoes” after a photograph of then-President-elect made the rounds on the internet, showing the worn soles of his shoes as he kneeled during a visit to the May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju. After his inauguration, Moon attempted to buy more shoes from the company to replace his earlier ones, which had become too old to wear, and was saddened to learn it had gone of business, sources said. A wave of widespread support and encouragement for Scene of Making Shoes’s comeback ensued, with writer Rhyu Si-min and singer Kang Won-rae taking part. With this help, Yu was able to establish a production factory in Sangdaewon in Dec. 2017 and receive approval from the Ministry of Employment and Labor to establish a social cooperative. Six newly hired hearing impaired employees from the Seongnam area are currently learning shoemaking techniques from a master with 46 years’ experience in the field. Scene of Making Shoes also plans to invite its supporters for a Feb. 1 event to honor the reopening of its production factory. By Kim Gi-seong, South Gyeonggi correspondent Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
