Adoption of the Proposal Urging Measures to Guarantee Mobility Rights
On April 28, Oh Miseop, a member of the Gwangju Seo-gu Council, adopted the 'Proposal Urging the Government and Gwangju City to Prepare Measures to Guarantee Transportation Convenience and Mobility Rights for People with Disabilities,' which he had initiated as the lead sponsor during the first plenary session of the 330th extraordinary meeting.
This proposal was prompted by a ruling in February by the Gwangju District Court, which determined that the lack of wheelchair boarding facilities on intercity express buses constitutes discrimination against people with disabilities. The court ordered the transportation company, Kumho Express, to gradually introduce new buses equipped with wheelchair boarding facilities over the next 15 years. Claims against the state and Gwangju City were dismissed, exempting them from legal responsibility.
Oh Miseop stated, "For people with disabilities, using express buses is not simply about access to transportation; it is a matter of the right to survival and a basic right guaranteed by the Constitution." He added, "The current reality, in which people with disabilities must make reservations days in advance and go through complex verification procedures just to board an express bus, is clearly discriminatory." He further asserted, "Gwangju City and the government must no longer avoid responsibility."
The proposal calls on the company involved to comply with the court ruling and to fulfill its social responsibilities by practicing ESG management. It also urges Gwangju City and the government to actively establish policies and provide administrative and financial support for people with disabilities and other transportation-vulnerable groups, as stipulated by the Act on Promotion of the Transportation Convenience of Mobility Disadvantaged Persons.
Oh Miseop emphasized, "Regardless of this ruling, Gwangju City, as a city of human rights, has a duty to guarantee the mobility rights of transportation-vulnerable groups." He added, "The government must also take the lead in implementing effective institutional improvements, rather than shifting responsibility onto companies and local governments."
He further stated, "Going forward, I will continue to monitor the implementation of measures related to this ruling and will actively propose various legislative and policy initiatives to expand the mobility rights of people with disabilities."
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