Human Rights Commission: "Convenience Must Be Provided, Including On-Site Sales of Pro Baseball Tickets for People with Disabilities"

In October 2020, Disabled Visitors with Physical Disabilities Could Not Purchase On-Site or Book Online at the Old Stadium

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) has recommended that the professional baseball team Kia Tigers and the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) provide conveniences for people with disabilities regarding ticket sales.

On the 28th, the NHRCK advised the Kia Tigers and the KBO Commissioner to open a counter for on-site reservations for people with disabilities and to provide reasonable accommodations for those using the online reservation site.

The petitioner, a person with a physical disability, visited the stadium in October 2020 to watch a professional baseball game. However, the on-site staff informed them that tickets could only be reserved online. The petitioner attempted to make an online reservation using a smartphone on the spot but was unable to use the service due to the lack of accommodations for people with disabilities.

The respondent, Kia Tigers, claimed that according to the KBO’s ‘2020 KBO League COVID-19 Response Integrated Manual,’ ticket sales were limited to online only to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

However, the NHRCK’s Disability Discrimination Remedy Committee found it difficult to identify a reasonable justification for limiting reservations to online only when spectators were allowed entry to the stadium. They also judged that for disabled persons receiving discounts, even if they reserved online, they still had to undergo verification of disability documentation on-site, making it no different from purchasing tickets at the venue.

The NHRCK stated, “The Kia Tigers and KBO infringed upon the constitutional rights to the pursuit of happiness and equality.” They recommended that the Kia Tigers open a counter and conduct disability awareness training for employees, and that the KBO promote the fact that people with disabilities can purchase tickets on-site and monitor proper implementation at the venue.