Disabled Persons' Organizations Urge Disability Rights Budget... Subway Full-Body Prostration Protest

Officials from the National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Jeonjangyeon) held a boarding protest on the Seoul Subway Line 3 at Gyeongbokgung Station on the 21st of last month, urging the securing of a budget for disability rights. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] Ahead of the Seoul mayoral election, disability organizations urged that policies and budgets related to the rights of persons with disabilities be reflected in the candidates' pledges.

The 2022 Seoul Local Election Disability Discrimination Abolition Coalition (Seoul Jiseon Jangcha-yeon) held a rally on the afternoon of the 6th at the transfer passage between lines 1 and 2 of City Hall Station in the Seoul subway, stating, "We urge that the rights of persons with disabilities be recognized as citizens' rights in the Seoul mayoral election and that the budget for disability rights be guaranteed." Although Seoul's budget for this year is over 44 trillion won, the disability welfare budget accounted for only 2.75% (1.2 trillion won) of the total budget, according to the coalition's claim.

Seoul Jiseon Jangcha-yeon pointed out, "So far, the rights of persons with disabilities have not been properly guaranteed as rights," adding, "This is because the rights to mobility, education, and others for persons with disabilities have not been adequately secured through the disability rights budget in Seoul." Ahead of the local elections, they presented 11 policy demands including ▲mobility rights for persons with disabilities ▲labor rights for persons with severe disabilities ▲lifelong education for persons with disabilities ▲rights to deinstitutionalization for persons with disabilities ▲rights to independent living for persons with disabilities. After the rally, they took the subway to the residence of Choo Kyung-ho, the nominee for Minister of Economy and Finance, to hold a demonstration urging a meeting.

The National Disability Discrimination Abolition Coalition (Jeon Jang-yeon) also held a 'Ochetuji' protest?crawling onto the subway platform at Samgakji Station on Line 4?and a head-shaving ceremony in the morning, demanding the guarantee of the disability rights budget. Jeon Jang-yeon had previously held head-shaving ceremonies and protests near Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3, close to Tongui-dong in Jongno-gu where the Presidential Transition Committee is located, but as the committee concluded its activities that day, they moved the protest site to Samgakji Station near the Ministry of National Defense building, where the new presidential office will be established.

Starting from that day, Jeon Jang-yeon plans to continue the Ochetuji struggle every morning between Samgakji Station on Line 4, Hansung University Entrance Station, and Hyehwa Station. Jeon Jang-yeon temporarily suspended their morning protests after the 28th protest on the 22nd of last month.

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