Park Kyung-seok, Co-Representative of Jeonjangyeon, "Regret Police Indicated Possibility of Forced Enforcement"
Road Occupation Protest Ends... Rally and Protest Scheduled in Front of Minister Choo Kyung-ho's Residence on the 26th
On the 24th, the National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities held a protest delaying Line 4 subway trains at Samgakji Station in Seoul. Disabled activists conducted the protest by boarding the subway using the ochertuji (prostration) method. Photo by Gong Byung-seon mydillon@
[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] While the police stated that they could enforce coercive measures against protests that obstruct citizens, the National Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (Jeonjangyeon) has ended its road-occupying protest. However, Jeonjangyeon criticized the police for suggesting the possibility of coercive enforcement and expressed their intention to continue holding assemblies and protests in various ways to reflect the disability rights budget in next year's budget.
On the morning of the 24th, around 8 a.m., Jeonjangyeon held a head-shaving ceremony and subway delay protest at Samgakji Station in Seoul, urging the guarantee of the disability rights budget. About ten activists participating in the rally raised their voices demanding that the basic rights of people with disabilities be guaranteed. Around 8:41 a.m., a disabled activist got off their wheelchair and boarded the Line 4 subway heading toward Jinjeop using the full-body prostration method. This caused the subway operation to be delayed by about one minute. The participants planned to proceed with a concluding rally at Hyehwa Station.
Jeonjangyeon announced that they would end the road-occupying protests near the Yongsan Presidential Office starting from that day. Until the previous day, Jeonjangyeon had been protesting by occupying an eight-lane road near Sinyongsan Station. This was to demand that Minister of Strategy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho include the disability rights budget in the supplementary budget. However, since the National Assembly’s Budget and Accounts Special Committee’s subcommittee has begun reviewing the supplementary budget bill, they decided not to push further for its inclusion and will only continue subway delay protests and head-shaving ceremonies going forward.
Jeonjangyeon Criticizes Police: "What Is the Standard for 'Excessiveness'?"
Jeonjangyeon’s subway delay protest took place after Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Choi Kwan-ho mentioned the possibility of a tough response. At a press briefing the day before, Commissioner Choi stated, “Repeated illegal acts of the same kind infringe on the excessive rights of law-abiding citizens,” and added, “If there is unreasonable occupation, immediate action will be taken.” He also said, “Police coercive power should be exercised in a way that minimizes infringement on other citizens.”
Jeonjangyeon criticized the police stance. Park Kyung-seok, co-representative of Jeonjangyeon, said, “They say excessive behavior at crosswalks causes inconvenience to citizens, but the police must clarify what the standard for excessiveness is,” and expressed regret toward Commissioner Choi. He also said, “Jeonjangyeon legally filed a rally report and marched from Yongsan Station to Samgakji Station,” adding, “This is exercising rights such as the right to resist guaranteed by the Constitution.”
He emphasized that people with disabilities are still being deprived of basic rights. Park said, “Politicians have promised basic rights but there is a history of denial,” and “The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner must not forget that we have been demanding mobility rights for 21 years.” Jeonjangyeon is demanding the government include the disability rights budget in the budget plan and enact or amend the four major disability rights laws (Disability Rights Guarantee Act, Disability Deinstitutionalization Support Act, Disability Lifelong Education Act, and Special Education Act).
Citizens observing Jeonjangyeon’s protest were generally calm. They did not express dissatisfaction toward the disabled person boarding the subway using the full-body prostration method. However, some citizens shouted at Jeonjangyeon. One man said to the group preparing the rally, “You are holding protests all the time,” and “I don’t understand why the police protect this.”
Jeonjangyeon plans to continue assemblies and protests to have the disability rights budget reflected in next year’s main budget. Park said, “We will not stop these actions until the disability rights budget is included in next year’s main budget,” and “On the 26th, we plan to hold a rally and protest in front of Minister Choo’s residence.” However, he added that if the Ministry of Strategy and Finance includes the disability rights budget in this month’s budget plan, they will end the assemblies and protests.
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