Disabled Woman Declares Candidacy for Seoul City Council

In a powerful display of civic engagement, Cho Sang-ji, a severely disabled woman, has announced her candidacy for the Seoul City Council. This marks a significant moment, bringing the voices and experiences of marginalized communities directly into the political arena. Cho, who has cerebral palsy and previously lived in a residential facility for disabled individuals, is running as an independent candidate under the banner of the 'Deinstitutionalized Persons Party.'

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Seoul's politics erases the right to deinstitutionalization, steals the labor of disabled people, postpones the rights to mobility and independence, and pushes disabled people to the back.

Her campaign is a direct challenge to the status quo, highlighting the systemic barriers faced by disabled people in Seoul. Cho's declaration, delivered via synthesized voice, powerfully articulated her platform: "Seoul's politics erases the right to deinstitutionalization, steals the labor of disabled people, postpones the rights to mobility and independence, and pushes disabled people to the back." She vows to bring the struggles and resilience of disabled individuals into the Seoul City Council, asserting, "Disabled people who were pushed to the back will now push Seoul forward."

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Disabled people who were pushed to the back will now push Seoul forward.

The choice of Jongno District, a historically significant political hub, for her candidacy is strategic. The 'Deinstitutionalized Persons Party' emphasizes that Jongno is not just the "number one political district" due to its concentration of power, but because it is a place where "bodies that refuse to have their rights taken away, lives that have fought against discrimination, and struggles that have expanded democracy with their whole beings" have converged. This resonates deeply with the ongoing fight for disability rights, including past protests by the National Federation of Persons with Disabilities in the area.

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Jongno is the number one political district not just because of the concentration of power, but because it is a place where bodies that refuse to have their rights taken away, lives that have fought against discrimination, and struggles that have expanded democracy with their whole beings have converged.

Cho's campaign has garnered support from various advocacy groups, including the Coalition for Poverty and Social Rights and the Justice Party. Her candidacy serves as a crucial reminder that true political representation requires actively listening to and amplifying the voices of those often excluded from decision-making processes. It challenges the notion that only those in positions of privilege can effectively represent the needs of the broader community, emphasizing that Cho's fight is for the "ordinary days of countless Cho Sang-jis."

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We cannot entrust the rights of disabled people solely to politicians who do not listen to the voices of disabled people.