Jeonjangeon suspected of subway protest funded by Seoul city subsidies... Police investigation launched

The National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Jeonjangyeon) is under a full-scale police investigation over allegations that it used subsidies received from the Seoul Metropolitan Government for subway protests during commuting hours.

On the 13th, the Hyehwa Police Station in Seoul announced that it had been assigned the case involving allegations of improper receipt of subsidies by civic groups, which was requested for investigation by the People Power Party's 'Special Committee for the Advancement of Civic Groups' (Special Committee), and has begun reviewing it.

Based on the Seoul Metropolitan Government's audit results, the Special Committee stated that Jeonjangyeon and its affiliated organizations received approximately 140 billion KRW in subsidies from Seoul since 2012, and that some of these funds were used to mobilize persons with severe disabilities for illegal protests such as obstructing subway operations. On the 8th, they requested an investigation on charges of violating the Local Subsidy Act.

The Special Committee also requested investigations into the Seoul Social Economy Network Corporation and the Village Corporation, alleging that they improperly received subsidies of 43.9 billion KRW and 40 billion KRW respectively.

In particular, the Special Committee reported that Jeonjangyeon's affiliated organizations received a total of 47.6 billion KRW over three years from 2020 to last year, including 7.1 billion KRW in subsidies for the Rights-Centered Severe Disability Public Job Project, and that tens of billions of KRW were improperly used for subway protests. It is alleged that persons with disabilities were mobilized for protests with daily wages ranging from 27,000 to 37,000 KRW. According to Seoul City, Jeonjangyeon is composed of 165 member and affiliated organizations.

The Special Committee believes that the Rights-Centered Severe Disability Public Job Project, initiated during former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon's administration at Jeonjangyeon's proposal, was distorted into a tool for mobilizing protests.

Ha Tae-kyung, chairman of the Special Committee, claimed on his Facebook, "The Park Won-soon Seoul administration recognized participation in assemblies and protests disguised as campaigns as commuting, thereby providing salaries to Jeonjangyeon organizations," adding, "Persons with disabilities mobilized for illegal protests obstructing subway operations have testified that they were forcibly mobilized under threats of not receiving their salaries if they did not participate."

In response, Jeonjangyeon held a press conference that morning, stating, "We have not received a single won in subsidies from the government or Seoul City," and announced that they would file a defamation lawsuit against Ha Tae-kyung for spreading false information.