Disability Rights Protest Disrupts Seoul Subway, Demands Budget Inclusion

Commuter trains on Seoul's subway Line 1 bypassed Yongsan Station on Monday morning due to a protest by the National Federation of Persons with Disabilities (Jeonjangyeon). The group is continuing its weekly "ride the subway to work" demonstrations to demand the allocation of a "disability rights budget" for 2027.

According to Korail, South Korea's national railway operator, trains heading northbound from Yongsan Station (towards Seoul Station and Cheongnyangni Station) did not stop starting around 8:10 AM. Jeonjangyeon resumed its subway protests on August 3rd, ahead of the national budget submission to the National Assembly in September, and has been holding them every Monday during rush hour.

In a press release, Jeonjangyeon highlighted a recent incident where a person with a disability died while confined in Ulsan's Bangudae Hospital, which houses 202 individuals. The group is demanding that severely disabled individuals be allowed to live safely and inclusively within their communities, not confined to institutions. They are calling for the "disability rights budget" to be included in the 2027 government budget proposal to guarantee basic rights.

Jeonjangyeon stated that they intend to continue their subway protests throughout August, the final month before the government budget is finalized and sent to the National Assembly. They have pledged to halt the protests if Park Hong-keun, the Minister of Economy and Finance, provides a written commitment to include the "disability rights budget."