Lee Jun-seok "Jeon Jang-yeon Protest Must Stop Unconditionally... Must Abandon Stubbornness"

"Is a Society Dependent on the Greatest Number's Discomfort Civilized?"
"Jeonjangyeon Has No Special Reason to Be Granted Authority"

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 21st and delivering an opening remark. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Hyun-ji] On the 27th, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, once again urged the disabled groups to stop their subway occupation protest and continued to criticize the disabled groups.

On the same day, Lee said on Facebook, "We demand that the National Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (Jeonjangyeon) unconditionally stop the protest method that takes the inconvenience of the unspecified majority as a hostage. Stop it without any conditions." He added, "They must abandon the stubbornness that if their proposed alternatives are not accepted, they can make unreasonable demands by holding Seoul citizens hostage." He also pointed out Jeonjangyeon's protest method, saying, "'The inconvenience of the unspecified majority is special attention to us'?if such a fighting method is tolerated, the order of our society will collapse." He questioned, "Is a society where many people who appeal for injustice and attention all occupy the subway and rely on the 'inconvenience of the majority' civilized?"

He also mentioned Jeonjangyeon's criticism of the People Power Party's handling of disability-related bills. Lee said, "Assemblyman Lee Jong-sung has been an activist for over 25 years and served as the secretary-general of the Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities as a person with a physical disability. Rather than blaming Assemblyman Lee Jong-sung, it would be reasonable to make efforts to strengthen sincere communication with him." He added, "There is no reason for Jeonjangyeon's words to have superiority over Assemblyman Lee Jong-sung's experience, and even if Jeonjangyeon’s demands are received differently by Assemblyman Lee and the People Power Party, it is not a matter of right or wrong."

Previously, Byeon Jae-won, former policy director of Jeonjangyeon, pointed out the stagnation of disability-related bills such as the Lifelong Education Act for the Disabled, the Act on the Promotion of Convenience for Transportation Vulnerable Persons, and the Act on Support for Deinstitutionalization of the Disabled, contrary to Lee’s expressed will. He said, "(During the meeting between Lee and Jeonjangyeon in August last year) Lee said he would arrange meetings with the lawmakers in charge of each bill and try to advance the discussions, but nothing progressed at all." He added, "Since the coordination authority was handed over to Assemblyman Lee Jong-sung, who has a physical disability, nothing has progressed."

Regarding Jeonjangyeon's representativeness, Lee said, "Jeonjangyeon has not been specially authorized by the disabled people of the Republic of Korea as a disabled group." He emphasized, "Although I do not agree with former Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo’s belittling of Jeonjangyeon as a 'non-statutory organization' during the Moon Jae-in administration, I believe there is no reason for Jeonjangyeon to be given special authority or have a stronger voice compared to the other five statutory subcommittees."

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