[On-site Video] “Guarantee Budget for Disabled Rights” Jeonjangyeon Marches Through the Heart of Gangnam

[Asia Economy PD Yoon Jin-geun] “We condemn the Ministry of Economy and Finance!”, “Guarantee the budget for the rights of persons with disabilities!”

Organizations including the National Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (Jeonjangyeon) marched around Gangnam Station in Seoul, demanding that the budget for the rights of persons with disabilities be reflected in the 2023 supplementary budget (Chugyeong).

On the 19th at 3 p.m., activists from Jeonjangyeon gathered in front of the residence of Choo Kyung-ho, Minister of Economy and Finance and Deputy Prime Minister, located in Seocho-gu, urging that the supplementary budget include the budget for the rights of persons with disabilities. The activists present at the site consisted of persons with disabilities and non-disabled assistants.

The participants wore clothes with slogans such as “This is also labor” and “Guarantee the budget for the rights of persons with disabilities,” holding placards with phrases like “The Republic of Korea is a discrimination republic, persons with disabilities are not commoners,” and “Minister Choo Kyung-ho of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, guarantee the budget for the rights of persons with disabilities.” Some were equipped with electric wheelchairs. They shouted slogans such as “No budget without rights, condemn the Ministry of Economy and Finance,” and “Guarantee the budget for the rights of persons with disabilities.”

The participants raised their voices that the budget for the rights of persons with disabilities must be included in the supplementary budget for persons with disabilities to live together in the community. Choi Yong-gi, chairman of the Korea Independent Living Center Association for Persons with Disabilities, took the microphone in front of Minister Choo’s residence and said, “Our demand is to be born as a person and live like a person, and the state should allocate the budget so that we can live such a life.”

Then, starting from 3:30 p.m., they marched occupying the roadway toward Gangnam Station. At the front of the march was a large doll symbolizing persons with developmental disabilities. Empty cans with slogans such as “Guarantee the right to mobility for persons with disabilities” were hung on participants’ wheelchairs to make noise whenever the wheelchairs moved.

Park Kyung-seok (61), co-executive director of the National Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination, insisted that the Ministry of Economy and Finance must include the budget for the rights of persons with disabilities in the 2023 budget and that the ministry should consult with disability organizations for this purpose. Park said, “We requested a meeting with Minister (Choo Kyung-ho) and marched in May to urge the guarantee of the budget for the rights of persons with disabilities within the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s ceiling budget.”

Meanwhile, the police accompanied the marchers, forming lines on both the roadway and sidewalks to ensure their safe march. To facilitate smooth marching, the police controlled vehicle flow, and at times, vehicle entry was restricted at some intersections.

The participants marched approximately 2.5 km from Dogok-ro and Gangnam-daero to Gangnam Station on the Shinbundang Subway Line.