Ajumma "Put the child on your lap"... Request Denied
"Remove the Priority Seat for Elderly" VS "Mom Should Stand Up" Debate Heats Up
A story from a mother who was complained about by other passengers because her 5-year-old child occupied a seat on a crowded bus has become a hot topic.
Recently, a post titled "Is it such a big crime not to give up a seat to a child on the bus?" was uploaded on an online community. The author, identifying herself as the mother of a 5-year-old child, explained that on the way back from an outing, she sat her child by the window seat on the bus while she took the aisle seat.
Buses passing through Gangnam Station, Seoul. This is a stock photo unrelated to the article. [Photo by Yonhap News]
As time passed and the bus became crowded, an older woman approached and demanded, "Put the child on your lap and make room." The author, who had two shopping bags and a handbag, refused the request, thinking it would be troublesome when getting off.
The older woman then insisted again, "Then I will put the child on my lap, so please give me the seat." The author responded, "How can I put my child on a stranger’s lap?" and "Why do you keep trying to take my child’s seat? The child is a person too and has the right to sit."
In response, the older woman criticized, "Mothers these days are selfish and only care about their own kids," and added, "They spoil their children like tyrants."
Eventually, the bus driver intervened, telling the older woman, "Please sit when another seat becomes available," and the incident was settled for the time being. The author asked netizens, "Is this really such a selfish act?"
One netizen commented, "I think it’s not about the seat but about consideration for each other. Both sides are the same. Instead of arguing over this, everyone should just be a little more considerate."
There were also reactions understanding the author, saying, "If this kind of controversy arises, do you want people to have children? If children ride for free, then remove all the elderly from the subway priority seats who also ride for free," and others supporting the older woman, saying, "On a crowded bus, the mother should stand while the child sits."
Meanwhile, in December last year, a controversy arose when a woman on a crowded bus placed a lot of luggage on the seat next to her and refused to move it.
The woman did not move her luggage despite requests from passengers and the driver, saying, "I have too much luggage." When the driver said, "If you don’t move it, please get off the bus," she replied, "If there’s no seat, you shouldn’t accept passengers." It was reported that the last passenger had to sit on the bus stairs because the luggage was never moved.
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