Samsung Guide Dog School still offering a new leash on life

Samsung Guide Dog School celebrates 30 years of enhancing social welfare for the visually impaired through guide dogs.

From left behind, Rep. Kim Ye-ji of the People Power Party, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, late Samsung chairman's wife Hong Ra-hee, International Guide Dog Federation Chairman William Thornton, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance CEO Hong Won-hak and Samsung Guide Dog School director Park Tae-jin pose for the photo with guide dogs and their new partners at the ceremony to celebrate 30 years since the school's establishment in Yongin, Gyeonggi, on Tuesday. [SAMSUNG]

YONGIN, Gyeonggi — Samsung Guide Dog School is giving itself a pat on the back after 30 years of important work, carrying on the wishes of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee that guide dogs lead to the betterment of social welfare for the visually impaired. The school was founded by Lee in June 1993 in Yongin, Gyeonggi, from his initiative to create a well-being society where the disabled can be fully accepted as part of the community — fueled by his love of dogs. It was not an exaggeration to say that Lee was starting with a clean slate because back then the existence of guide dogs was still a novelty in Korea, rarely recognized by the public.

It was a time when Samsung began to actively seek traction in overseas markets and to overhaul the negative image the nation had accumulated due to its centuries-old practice of dog meat consumption.

Late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee pictured above with a dog. [SAMSUNG]

A peek into Lee’s struggles was found in his unpublished essay, where he wrote, “when it was revealed that Samsung was training dogs, some disapproved, asking what good a dog could do when people had very little to eat. They said the company should instead spend money on the poor or donate to welfare groups. Although others remain critical now, saying that we are stupid or idealists who know not of the harsh reality, they will come to understand that we were right, 10 to 20 years from now. What I am sure is that the guide dog school will contribute to elevating public perception over social welfare.”

The project took a year to be fully launched as the company was without any manuals or guidelines on how to breed or train guide dogs. The institute started out by delivering its very first guide dog named Bada in 1994. The school has dispatched a total of 280 dogs for the last three decades and 76 are currently working with their visually impaired partners.

The school, to this day, remains the only dog institute in the world fully funded by a company.

His son, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, continues on his father’s initiative. Construction has taken place this year to expand the housing space to twice its previous size to better breed and train the dogs.

A ceremony to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Samsung Guide Dog School was full of dogs barking and happy tears as eight, fully-trained guide dogs were introduced to their visually-impaired partners and three met with their new families after retirement.

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, far right, and Lee Kun-hee's wife Hong Ra-hee applaud as trained guide dogs meet their new companions. [SAMSUNG]

Lee Jae-yong was also present with his mother, Hong Ra-hee, applauding the dogs along with the crowd. It was his first attendance at the anniversary ceremony.

Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance CEO Hong Won-hak, International Guide Dog Federation Chairman William Thornton, Health and Welfare Minister Cho Kyu-hong, Rep. Kim Ye-ji, Korea’s first visually-impaired politician of the People Power Party and Justice Party floor leader Bae Jin-gyo were also present at the ceremony. “The project to breed, train and deliver guide dogs that started in 1993 celebrates its 30th anniversary today,” Hong Won-hak said.

“When Samsung first started out the project, people lacked understanding over guide dogs and difficulties followed as public facilities or transportations blocked them from entering. After 30 years, we feel a significant change over visually-impaired and their guide dogs and feel that it’s time well spent, to which we worked tirelessly to create a healthy society. We look forward to the next 30 years as well, and we’ll commit to it as we did for the past three decades.”

Guide dogs typically receive two years of training after birth, spend seven to eight years with their blind companion and then retire to be rehoused with another family. Samsung Guide Dog School oversees all processes from the beginning to end until retired dogs are delivered to their new family.

Puppies trained at Samsung Guide Dog School are pictured above. [SAMSUNG]

The institute became globally recognized and attained membership of the International Guide Dog Federation (IDGF) in 1999, setting a first precedent for a corporate-run institute to be accepted to the federation.

“Thirty years ago, Samsung guide school was launched, a very first venture of its kind. [The school] became the very first commercially supported guide dog school in the world to be rewarded with IDGF membership,” Thornton said. “We would not all be here today had it not been for the vision of the late Chairman, Lee Kun-hee. He empowered the concept of a corporately-supported guide dog school, a first for the global guide dog movement.”

Health minister Cho vowed to continue to support the welfare of guide dogs.

“There are 116 guide dogs active in the country, a scarce figure compared to some 46,000 visually impaired in need of help,” Cho said.

“Yoon Suk Yeol administration is working towards expanding policies and spreading out support in the system. Health Ministry will also continue to work towards changing social perception related to guide dogs.”

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]