'Commute Subway Protest' Jeonjangyeon Activists Voluntarily Appear at Namdaemun Police Station

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] Activists from the National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Jeonjangyeon), who have been staging protests by boarding and alighting subways during the morning commute, voluntarily appeared at the Namdaemun Police Station in Seoul on the 31st.

They held a press conference in front of Namdaemun Police Station that afternoon, stating, "All activists, including representatives Lee Hyung-sook and Lee Gyu-sik, who received summons from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, will voluntarily appear and undergo investigation."

After Jeonjangyeon refused to appear at Hyehwa, Yongsan, and Jongno Police Stations last month, citing the lack of elevators, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency designated Namdaemun Police Station, which is equipped with facilities for persons with disabilities, as the main investigative station and consolidated the cases.

Jeonjangyeon said that three activists would undergo investigation first, adding, "We have refused to appear for investigation at Namdaemun Police Station without plans to correct discrimination within the police station, but we could no longer delay and have partially accepted."

Meanwhile, Lee Hyung-sook, chairperson of the Seoul Disabled Independent Living Center Council, said, "Is it over just because there are convenience facilities installed at Namdaemun Police Station and we are told to be investigated here?" She demanded, "We will undergo investigation, but the state, the Minister of Strategy and Finance, President Yoon Seok-yeol, and Seoul Metropolitan Police Chief Kim Kwang-ho should all be investigated."

Park Kyung-seok, representative of Jeonjangyeon, attended the press conference and refused to be investigated, demanding that "Chief Kim first disclose plans for installing facilities for persons with disabilities." Park said, "In the mock trial on the 29th, a fine of 30 million won was imposed for malicious discriminatory acts against persons with disabilities, including Chief Kim Kwang-ho's statement, 'I will pursue judicial action to the ends of the earth.' I will voluntarily appear if the fine is paid or if a budget plan to provide facilities for persons with disabilities at all police stations in Seoul is disclosed."

Park added, "We will continue boarding the subway during the morning commute at 7:30 a.m. next Monday (September 5th)."

After the press conference, Lee Hyung-sook and two other activists entered the police station to undergo investigation, while the remaining Jeonjangyeon members, including Park, marched toward the Blue House from around 3 p.m. that day.

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