Seoul Metro sues Jeon Jang-yeon for damages over 600 million won

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Reflects 'Zero Tolerance Principle'

Members of the National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities held a press conference on the 5th at Samgak Station on Subway Line 4 in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, urging the expansion of the budget for disability rights. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Seoul Metro has filed a lawsuit seeking 600 million won in damages against the National Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (Jeonjangyeon), which has been conducting subway boarding protests.

According to Seoul City on the 10th, the corporation reportedly filed a lawsuit at the Seoul Central District Court on the 6th, claiming 601.45 million won in damages against Jeonjangyeon and its representative Park Kyung-seok.

The corporation claimed that Jeonjangyeon's illegal protests inside the subway, conducted 75 times over about one year from December 3, 2021, to December 15 last year, caused delays in train operations and other damages.

This lawsuit follows Mayor Oh Se-hoon's "zero tolerance principle." After the National Assembly budget review concluded at the end of last month, when Jeonjangyeon announced plans to resume subway protests from the new year, Mayor Oh warned via Facebook, "There will be no more tolerance for illegal acts," adding, "We will take all necessary legal actions, including civil and criminal responses." Accordingly, the corporation announced additional lawsuit plans on the 2nd of this month.

Earlier, the corporation filed a civil lawsuit at the end of 2021, claiming 30 million won in damages for the illegal subway protests conducted seven times by Jeonjangyeon from January 22 to November 12, 2021.

On the 19th of last month, the Seoul Central District Court proposed a mediation plan to both the corporation and Jeonjangyeon, conditioning it on "installation of elevators" and "cessation of protests." It also stipulated that if Jeonjangyeon delayed subway operations by more than five minutes due to protests, they must pay 5 million won per incident to the corporation.

Jeonjangyeon accepted the mediation plan, but the corporation and Seoul City expressed their refusal, leading to ongoing conflicts between the parties. On the 2nd and 3rd of this month, there was a prolonged standoff between Jeonjangyeon members attempting to board inside the subway stations on Line 4 and the corporation and police trying to prevent them.

Subsequently, Jeonjangyeon agreed to suspend protests until the 19th and requested a meeting with Mayor Oh, which he accepted; however, the schedule has not been finalized due to disagreements over the meeting format.

At a policy meeting with disability organizations the day before, Mayor Oh emphasized, "I will meet with Jeonjangyeon, but I will make it clear that they do not represent the entire disability community," and added, "We will respond according to principle to acts that delay the subway."