"If There Are Many People, I Just Let the Subway Pass" The Hardship of Commuting by Wheelchair

Travel Diary with Disabled Person Choo Kyung-jin
Commute Home Takes 20 Minutes Longer Than Non-Disabled... Repeatedly Saying "Sorry" and "Excuse Me"
Always Tense Due to Wide Gap Between Subway and Station

On the afternoon of the 14th, Choo Kyung-jin is riding an electric wheelchair on the subway on the way home from work.

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] On the 14th, Choo Kyung-jin (male, 55), whom I met in front of the Irum Center in Yeouido, Seoul, left work at 3 p.m. He explained that if he left work even a little later, the subway would be too crowded, forcing him to wait for several trains.

Choo has been unable to move his legs since a traffic accident in 1998. He can only use his arms minimally, enough to operate his electric wheelchair. Choo said, "Things I never even thought about when I was able-bodied have become sources of inconvenience," adding, "Although there are other transportation options like low-floor buses, when many people board, the bus has to be passed up repeatedly, making it difficult to wait during the cold winter."

It took him 1 hour and 10 minutes to get from Yeouido on Line 5 to Gireum Station near his home on Line 4. This is 20 minutes longer than it takes for an able-bodied person. Although transferring at Dongjak Station is faster, the distance to the elevator is long and crowded, so he chose a route that takes a bit longer but allows him to transfer immediately after getting off the elevator.

He remains constantly tense inside the subway station and train. Whenever he feels he might bump into someone, he repeatedly says, "Sorry, excuse me." He said, "I am naturally shy and have a soft voice, so it’s hard to talk to people, but I can’t help it because I don’t want to inconvenience others."

Mr. Choo Kyung-jin waiting for the elevator. On crowded days, he says he waits for more than 10 minutes. On this day, he also sent the elevator away twice.

To board the subway, he has to move backward and then push himself forward with force. This is because the gap between the subway and the platform at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station is wide enough for his wheelchair wheels to get stuck. Choo said, "My body jolts and my waist takes a hit, but it’s better than having the wheels get stuck," adding, "I have repeatedly asked the Seoul city government to take measures, but they always respond that there is no budget."

Disability rights groups have been holding protests disrupting subway operations during rush hours for six consecutive days, demanding a disability rights budget. On the morning of the 16th, they staged a mobility rights protest by repeatedly boarding and alighting trains on Lines 5 and 4. Choo is well aware that public opinion is not favorable. There are even malicious comments comparing the protests to acts of terrorism.

Choo said, "I know that people’s dissatisfaction has grown because of the protests, and people with disabilities feel self-conscious and sorry," but he lamented, "If we don’t do this, no one will listen to our stories for even an hour."

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