Women with neurodiversity, connected at Taereung and Aegibong!

Wikimedia Korea frequently hosts lots of infinity editathon and photowalks since the start of the neurodiversity project in July. However, despite these efforts, it was true that participation by women with neurodiverse conditions remained low. It was often perceived that women with neurodiverse conditions had low interest in Wikimedia or that their participation was hindered by societal expectations and feelings of burden.

Therefore, we planned a mini photo walk to encourage women’s Wikimedia participation. We held women’s mini photo walks in July and September, and since the response was positive and the experience was deeply meaningful, we would like to share it with diff readers.

Taereung Mini Photowalk –  connecting history of Korea

On July 12, 2025, two participants visited Taereung led by the project manager. Taereung is the royal tomb of Queen Munjeong of the Joseon Dynasty, née Yun. The tomb’s occupant wished to be buried beside her husband, King Jungjong, but due to frequent flooding, she was ultimately laid to rest alone at Taereung, a place steeped in a tragic story. Currently, it is managed by the Jeonju Yi Clan Association, a non-profit corporation established by descendants of the royal family, through its affiliated organizations.

Participants gathered in the morning and traveled together to Taereung. Though not planned, they were fortunate to meet a cultural heritage guide and a forest interpreter, learning about Joseon’s royal ancestral shrine culture and the process of planting trees at the royal tomb. Participants remained focused throughout the explanations and later visited the mound, available only when accompanied by the guides.

Next, we visited the Taereung National Training Center. Established in 1966, this facility played a pivotal role in nurturing national athletes and popularizing sports in South Korea. Currently, the buildings are closed and operations have moved to the Jecheon Training Center, so we could only photograph the exterior.

Impressions of Taereung Participants

Participants at Taereung remained focused throughout the shoot despite the unfamiliar course for women, resulting in 29 photos being uploaded. However, the extreme heat posed a significant burden, demonstrating how climate change can become a barrier to neurodiverse participation. 

Participant A: I was worried about the hot weather, but luckily Taereung was cooler than the surrounding areas thanks to the trees. Even if you have a great smartphone, it’s less useful if you can’t travel or go around, right? But since you covered our meal and taxi expenses, we could sightsee, take photos, eat, and chat—it was great. If there’s another opportunity like this, I’d love to participate again. Just please avoid days that are too hot or too cold.

Aegibong Peace Ecological Park, where wonder and regret intertwined

On September 27th, we held another photo walk for women. Teams consisting of two participants, one guide, and two assistants climbed up to Aegibong Peace Ecological Park.

The atmosphere at Aegibong was lively and bustling, with trot music playing. Being the only place where civilians can see the propaganda village with their own eyes due to its proximity to North Korea, it was noticeable that many middle-aged people or displaced persons visited. The female neurodiverse participants, despite the complex security procedures and the fact that they might stand out somewhat, did not show any signs of hardship.

Participants seeing North Korea for the first time from Aegibong Peak pressed their smartphone shutters in wonder. Eighty years after the Korean Peninsula was divided into North Korea and South Korea, participants who had never had the chance to see North Korea directly felt both amazement and regret. When will we be able to freely travel to and from North Korea?

Gimpo Naval Memorial Park, a reminder of the importance of national security

Next, we headed to Gimpo Naval Ship Park at Daemyeong Port. Unlike the bustling atmosphere of Daemyeong Port, surrounded by fish markets and restaurants, this place had a quiet and somewhat solemn ambiance. Here, the actual warship Unbong was converted into a naval ship park after its retirement, hosting exhibitions on national security.

The security exhibition featured various interactive corners to learn about the importance of security, including the structure and history of the Unbong, a full combat gear experience, a naval artillery game, and exhibits centered on the Cheonan and the Yeonpyeong Island attacks. Participants strolled around the Unbong, imagining themselves as sailors. Yet, they also fervently wished for the day when peace would come and war would disappear.

The 29 photos uploaded at Taereung was a remarkable achievement, but surprisingly, we managed to achieve a dynamic increase of 76 photos at Aegibong. This was thanks to our careful consideration of ways to appeal to female participants while reviewing the results from Taereung. Despite this course being unfamiliar to female participants, just like Taereung, achieving even higher results taught us that fostering an atmosphere that enhances female participants’ accessibility is more important than the course itself.

Participant A: It was great going on a photo walk for the first time. Living in the city, just repeating my main job and side hustle, getting some fresh air like this felt like a mini vacation. And I need to take photos with more confidence.

Participant B: I enjoyed drinking a mango banana blended drink at a unique spot I never would have thought to visit alone—a Starbucks where you can see North Korea. Taking photos gave me a sense of accomplishment, and the thought that I could contribute to the web world made me feel proud. I also think the mini photo walks just for female participants are really great.

Wikimedia Korea will continue to support contributions to Wikimedia from all genders, including women.