"Reducing Citizen Inconvenience" vs "Violation of Protest Rights": Heated Debate Over Elevator Closure at Hyehwa Station During Disability Protest

Disabled Groups Protest Demanding 'Mobility Rights for Transportation-Vulnerable'
Debate Over Elevator Closure at Hyehwa Station... "Violation of Protest Rights" Criticized
Disabled Groups Announce Legal Actions Including Emergency Petition to Human Rights Commission
Experts Say "Korean Society Lacks Consideration for the Vulnerable"

On the morning of the 7th, members of the National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities are holding a publicity campaign at Hyehwa Station platform in Seoul, urging the amendment of the Act on the Promotion of Convenience in Transportation for the Mobility-Disadvantaged within this year. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Criticism is intensifying over Seoul Metro's decision to close subway station elevators to reduce inconvenience to citizens caused by protests by disability groups during the morning commute. Experts pointed out that Korean society lacks sensitivity toward the vulnerable.

The National Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (Jeonjangyeon) announced on the 6th that it would hold protests at Hyehwa Station on Seoul Subway Line 4 to demand the guarantee of mobility rights for people with disabilities. On the 3rd, 'International Day of Persons with Disabilities,' they also held protests urging the revision of the 'Transportation Convenience Improvement Act for the Transportation Disadvantaged' within the year, which calls for mandatory introduction of low-floor buses and elimination of regional discrimination in special transportation services.

Park Miju, an activist from Jeonjangyeon, said, "Mobility rights are so obvious that for some people the word itself is unfamiliar. But people with disabilities risk their lives moving around every day," adding, "That is why we insist that elevators should be installed in all subway stations instead of wheelchair lifts."

Regarding some criticisms that "wheelchair lifts are already provided," she said, "We call wheelchair lifts 'murder machines.' To use the lift, you have to press a call button, and then a station staff member comes out to operate it. However, since the lift is located near the stairs, accidents often occur when pressing the button," referring to the accident at Singil Station on Lines 1 and 5. This was the incident in October 2017 when the late Han Kyung-deok, a person with severe disabilities, fell down the stairs while trying to use the lift and died.

On the morning of the 6th, the elevator located at Exit 2 of Hyehwa Station on Subway Line 4 was closed for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Photo by Park Kyung-seok, Co-Chairperson of the National Solidarity for the Elimination of Disability Discrimination Facebook page

The problem was triggered when Seoul Metro closed the elevator. On the day Jeonjangyeon announced a protest at 8 a.m. during the morning commute, Seoul Metro closed the elevator at Exit 2 of Hyehwa Station for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

According to photos publicly shared on Facebook by Park Kyung-seok, co-executive director of Jeonjangyeon, the entrance in front of the elevator was blocked with yellow tape, and a notice signed by the Hyehwa Station chief stating, "Due to an illegal protest by a disability group scheduled for today, elevator operation is temporarily suspended," was posted.

Some criticized Seoul Metro's action as an infringement on the right of people with disabilities to protest. Since it is difficult for people with disabilities to enter the station without elevators, Seoul Metro's closure of the elevator was seen as a way to completely block their protest.

There were also criticisms that the decision failed to consider other transportation-disadvantaged individuals unrelated to the protest. Elevators are provided not only for the protesting group but also for many transportation-disadvantaged people such as the elderly and pregnant women. Especially, Seoul National University Hospital is located near Hyehwa Station, and it is known that patients with mobility difficulties frequently use the elevators.

In response, Jeonjangyeon claimed that Seoul Metro's elevator closure was an "excessive response." Activist Park said, "It is very ironic that a protest to guarantee mobility rights for people with disabilities was blocked by cutting off mobility rights," adding, "Elevators are facilities to guarantee mobility rights for various transportation-disadvantaged people, including the elderly and disabled. Closing them to block protests is an excessive response and abuse of power by Seoul Metro."

On the other hand, Seoul Metro stated, "The elevator was closed as a measure to prevent confusion caused by unannounced boarding and alighting protests that delay subway line operations," adding, "Although the elevator at Exit 2 was closed, the elevator at Exit 3 was not blocked, so there should have been no major inconvenience." Elevators are installed at Exits 2 and 3 of Hyehwa Station.

However, Jeonjangyeon officials reportedly found it difficult to locate information indicating that the elevator at Exit 3 was available, so they detoured through another station. They walked about 1 km to Hansung University Station, took a train, and entered Hyehwa Station, starting their demonstration at 8:35 a.m., about 35 minutes later than originally planned.

Jeonjangyeon announced plans for legal action against Seoul Metro. Activist Park said, "We are preparing to file an urgent complaint with the National Human Rights Commission at 9 a.m. on the 9th. This will be the start of our legal response."

Experts pointed out that this case reflects a lack of sensitivity toward the vulnerable in Korean society. Professor Lee Byung-hoon of the Department of Sociology at Chung-Ang University said, "Korean society as a whole is very insufficient and negligent in considering people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. Holding rallies to demand improvements is guaranteed by our constitution, but blocking access itself by treating it as a problem is an excessive response."

Meanwhile, Hyehwa Station is a symbolic place for those advocating for 'mobility rights for people with disabilities.' This is because after Lee Gyusik, co-executive director of the Seoul Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination, was seriously injured in 1999 after falling while using a wheelchair lift, elevators were installed in the station. As a result, near Exit 2 of Hyehwa Station, there is even a plaque for disability mobility rights that reads, "Site of demand for disability mobility rights - Since the wheelchair fall accident at Hyehwa Station on June 28, 1999, shouting for mobility rights here."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.