Seoul Metro Corporation Files 5th Criminal Complaint Over Jeonjangyeon Protest Resumption... "Strong Response"

Seoul Metro Sues Jeon Jang-yeon Representative Park Kyung-seok and 3 Others for Train Traffic Obstruction
Deliberate Train Delays and Illegal Sticker Posting at Myeongdong, City Hall, Yeouido Stations Over 10 Incidents in April-May
Over 10,000 Complaints Filed...Metro Calls It a "Wrong Protest Causing Citizen Inconvenience and Safety Threats"

Seoul Metro announced on the 13th that it has filed a criminal complaint with Namdaemun Police Station against Park Kyung-seok, the representative of the National Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (Jeonjangyeon), and three executives on charges including obstruction of train traffic.

If found guilty of obstructing traffic, the penalty is imprisonment for more than one year.

Article 186 of the Criminal Act (Obstruction of trains, ships, etc.) states that anyone who damages rails, lighthouses, or signals, or otherwise obstructs the traffic of trains, trams, automobiles, ships, or aircraft shall be punished by imprisonment for more than one year.

This action follows Jeonjangyeon's resumption of protests obstructing subway operations during the morning commute starting from the 11th, amid ongoing investigations by the prosecution after Seoul Metro filed four criminal complaints against Jeonjangyeon since June 2021.

Including this complaint, Seoul Metro has filed five criminal complaints and three claims for damages against Jeonjangyeon to date.

Jeonjangyeon has been holding rallies, arguing that the government’s budget proposal submitted to the National Assembly for the next year allocates insufficient funds for people with disabilities.

The complaint submitted by Seoul Metro states that from April 20 to May 4 this year, Jeonjangyeon deliberately delayed train operations by repeatedly boarding and alighting trains while riding electric wheelchairs at highly crowded stations such as Myeongdong Station, City Hall Station, Hyehwa Station, and Yeouido Station over ten occasions. It also includes allegations of illegal sticker posting at City Hall Station without station staff permission.

Seoul Metro plans to maintain a strong stance by actively proving the charges based on evidence collected regarding deliberate train delays and unauthorized sticker posting by Jeonjangyeon.

Since January 2021, Jeonjangyeon has been protesting in the Seoul subway to demand guaranteed mobility rights for people with disabilities and securing budgets for disability rights. The protests have continued for three years, increasing inconvenience for citizens. The cumulative number of train delays caused is 87, totaling 85 hours and 32 minutes of delay. Relatedly, the number of inconvenience complaints received by Seoul Metro up to August this year reached 12,568.

Kim Seok-ho, Head of Seoul Metro’s Operations Headquarters, said, “Jeonjangyeon’s protests cause extreme inconvenience to citizens using the Seoul subway and threaten safety. Such wrongful protests must not be repeated. We hope that the two criminal complaints currently under investigation by the prosecution will proceed swiftly so that Jeonjangyeon can face appropriate consequences.”