Gwangju Disabled Persons' Organization Holds Subway Wheelchair Awareness Campaign and Street March

420 Disabled Rights Abolition Struggle Group Holds Press Conference and Street March

"Gwangju City's Claim of 99.5% Normal Implementation of Disability Pledges Is a Lie"

Submitted Policy Proposal Reflecting Voices of Disabled People to Gwangju City

People with disabilities in the Gwangju area pointed out problems in disability-related policies and urged the establishment of policies to guarantee the rights of people with disabilities.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, local disability organization representatives are marching in the streets around the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, urging the administrative authorities to establish disability policies.
[Photo by Min Hyun-gi]

The Gwangju 420 Joint Struggle Group for the Elimination of Disability Discrimination, composed of local disability organizations including the Gwangju Disability Discrimination Abolition Solidarity, held a press conference in front of Gwangju City Hall in Seo-gu, Gwangju on the afternoon of the 23rd, stating that "the claim by Gwangju City that '99.5% of disability-related pledges are being properly implemented' is meaningless."

The group criticized, "Saebit Call, the main means of transportation and exclusive call taxi for people with disabilities, had its usage limited to 4 times per day by Gwangju City last year," adding, "We cannot understand who and why this decision was made. Would it not be possible to allow 28 times per week or 120 times per month?"

They further emphasized, "There is no space available to support daytime activities for people with severe brain lesions, and there are no shelters supporting women with disabilities who have suffered sexual violence," adding, "The establishment of a deinstitutionalization and independent living support system and discussions on support for people with neurological and muscular disabilities are also stagnant."

They also appealed, "The pilot project for customized public jobs centered on the rights of people with severe disabilities in Gwangju City was not implemented last year, and the main budget for this project this year is zero, yet according to Gwangju City's announcement, this project was also processed as if it were properly implemented."

Earlier, at 10:30 a.m., they gathered at the 5·18 Democracy Square in Dong-gu, Gwangju for their first press conference, traveled by subway from Culture Complex Station to Kim Dae-jung Convention Center Station, then proceeded with a street march to Gwangju City Hall, where they submitted a policy proposal to Gwangju City.