Beyond the controversy:

Disabled Protestor’s Cry for Unfulfilled Promises
Written by Lee Cho Ha-yun
Filmed by Kim Arin, Lee Cho Ha-yun
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The disability advocacy group Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination has been protesting in subway stations during recent months.


The disability rights advocacy group Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination has been protesting in subway stations during recent months.



The protestors urge politicians to fulfill their promises on guaranteeing transportation, education and labor rights.

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The advocacy group’s subway protest became more widely known to the public on Feb. 3, when presidential candidate Sim Sang-jung of the Justice Party mentioned the protest during the first televised presidential debate during her speech.


Yellow Chair


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A special route that allows the disabled, elderly, and passengers with reduced mobility to travel by elevator from the ground to the platform without special assistance

“One station, one route” policy
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[keep reading]

In 2015, the Seoul Metropolitan Government promised to install elevators in all subway stations by 2022, as stipulated in the Seoul declaration to promote mobility rights for the disabled.

Currently in the year 2022, 21 of 326 stations in Seoul do not have elevators.

However,
the focus of the protest is not on simply increasing the elevator installation rate from 93% to 100%.

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We want to be able to commute, be educated, be a part of the labor force and live together.” (Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination)

[keep reading]

“The right to mobility is at the foundation of the right to live a humane life, and the right to live itself.

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2001
Oido Station Lift Crash: A disabled person falls and dies due to a lift accident

2001 Mayor Lee Myung Bak promises the installation of elevators in all subway stations by 2004

2002 Balsan Station Lift crash: Another lift accident results in the death of a disabled person

2004 The “Act on promotion of the transportation convenience of mobility disadvantaged persons” is enacted. It includes mandatory introduction of low-floor buses and support for special transportation costs, among others

2003 - 2006 The city of Seoul installed elevators at approximately 160 stations

2015 Mayor Park Won-soon promises to install elevators in 100% of Seoul subway stations by 2022


TIMELINE
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Controversy


The advocacy group clashed with the People Power Party chief Lee Jun-seok, who called the subway protests “uncivilized illegal demonstrations.”

“The unreasonable act of holding millions of Seoul citizens hostage on their morning commutes for the everyday lives of the disabled must be actively intervened against,” Lee said in a Facebook post.
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Why?
Despite progress over the past 20 years, protests are continuing.
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why?
Promises have been made, but not fully kept
On Dec. 31, 2021, the revised bill for the “Act On Promotion Of The Transportation Convenience Of Mobility Disadvantaged Persons” was passed.











However,
the revised bill declared the budget provisions for special transportation as optional, not mandatory.
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What’s next?

A secure budget, so promises can be fully executed


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“Without the budget there is no policy, it’s as simple as that.” (Park Kyung-seok, co-leader of the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination) The advocacy group is calling out the presidential transition committee to promise them a separate budget for disability rights initiatives.

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(People Power Party Rep. Kim Yea-ji, first visually impaired lawmaker, at March 28th subway protest)

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"We must think of the issue more widely as providing a barrier-free facility for the elderly, or even citizens using infant strollers.
We will listen and communicate to deliver and coordinate your voices, so we can build a better society.”
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