Meeting with Jeonjangyeon of the 'Subway Protest,' the Transition Team Pledges to Improve Lives of People with Disabilities

Request to Stop Subway Protest During Commute
Will Convey Demand for Apology from Lee Jun-seok

Imija, secretary of the Social Culture and Welfare Subcommittee of the Transition Committee, and Kim Dosik, a transition committee member, are meeting with members of the Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities on the 29th at the meeting room of the Gyeongbokgung Operations Office, Seoul Metro Line 3, Gyeongbokgung Station, Seoul Transportation Corporation. Photo by Transition Committee Press Corps

[Asia Economy reporters Hyunju Lee and Hyunji Kwon] The Presidential Transition Committee announced that it will actively discuss disability policies and develop improvement measures after meeting with members of the National Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination, who are protesting in the subway to ensure basic rights such as the right to education and freedom of movement.

On the 29th, Im Ija, secretary of the Social Welfare and Culture Division, and Kim Dosik, a transition committee member, met with the National Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination at a conference room in Gyeongbokgung Station, where they were asked to provide budgets related to deinstitutionalization support, disability activity support, lifelong education facilities for the disabled, and to create customized jobs for people with severe disabilities. At the meeting, Secretary Im responded, "We will communicate and organize the tasks well, and not only with you but also with various organizations, to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities."

The transition committee requested that the subway protests during commuting hours be suspended. Secretary Im said, "Please promptly resolve the issues that cause inconvenience to other citizens through the morning protests."

The committee also said it would convey the apology policy requested by the National Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination to Representative Lee. However, Representative Lee stated in a radio interview that she has no intention of apologizing. She said, "As I mentioned, the term 'hostage' cannot be a subject of apology at all," adding, "Any organization protesting should not take citizens' safety hostage. These are common remarks. If we start to take issue even with such expressions to criticize, there would be nothing left to say in the Republic of Korea."

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