Student group ‘Accessible’ connects global tech with local advocacy

This spring, Accessible, a registered student organization (RSO) at George Mason University Korea, expanded its mission of promoting inclusive environments across continents. 

Founded in fall 2024 by Eunchong Yim, a junior global affairs major who now serves as its president, Accessible began as a group of six students raising awareness about accessibility and disability advocacy in South Korea. It has since grown into a platform for real-world impact.  

In April, Yim traveled to Murcia, Spain, to visit NaviLens—a global leader in assistive technology—and to produce the first Korean-language introduction to the company’s work. NaviLens’ QR code system enables blind and partially sighted individuals to access location-based information, such as potential physical obstacles or physical descriptions of the environment, with their smartphones. Accessible hopes to help introduce this technology into South Korea’s public spaces. 

Accessible is uniquely positioned to link global innovation with local needs. This semester, the group began discussions with the Songdo-based National Museum of World Writing Systems—South Korea’s second most visited museum—about a potential collaborative exhibition to enhance accessibility. The connection emerged from course field trips, such as INTS 245 Visual Culture and Society, and was made possible by the enthusiasm of museum staff. 

In a timely coincidence, George Mason also began testing NaviLens codes on the Fairfax Campus, Mason Square in Arlington, and the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas. As a result, Yim was connected with a member of the Office of Access, Compliance, and Community. By sharing updates on events related not only to NaviLens but also to virtual reality games and accessible environments more broadly, Mason Korea and the Virginia-based campuses are exploring opportunities for future collaboration. 

Yim will complete a remote internship with the NaviLens team this summer, continuing to bridge student advocacy with practical accessibility solutions. 

“I’m excited to learn about the team’s ongoing projects with blind and partially sighted students in America and to gain communication and project management skills,” she said. “Every moment at Mason Korea has become one of my greatest strengths—helping me adapt to new environments and collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds.”