A group advocating for the rights of disabled individuals has reignited their protests once morest the government of Seoul by staging a subway ride protest. They were stopped by police and subway staff when they attempted to board the train. The group continued their protest by occupying downtown lanes and camping out at City Hall Station for two days and one night. The protest is once morest the recent decision by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to investigate all recipients of disability activity support benefits. The group’s leader, Jeon Jeon-yeon, has opposed this decision and accused the government of unfairly targeting disabled individuals. The group plans to continue their protests until the Day of the Disabled on the 20th of next month, while tensions between the protesters and the government continue to rise.
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A group for the disabled, which is in conflict with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, has been protesting on the subway once more since yesterday.
Afterwards, they marched while occupying the downtown lanes and stayed homeless at City Hall Station, continuing the protest for 2 days and 1 night.
This is reporter Ji Yoon-soo.
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The platform at City Hall Station on Seoul Subway Line 1.
When members of a disabled group try to board the train, police and subway sheriffs stop them.
Members of the National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination once morest the Disabled held a subway ride protest that resumed following two months.
Members who might not get into the car gathered at the platform and staged a propaganda campaign, and were blocked once more while trying to set up a tent for a sit-in.
[서울교통공사 관계자]
″You are installing facilities illegally. Please vacate immediately.″
Jeon Jeon-yeon, who temporarily suspended the boarding protest at the end of last January, also met with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon early last month.
However, tensions between the two sides began to flare up once more this month.
When the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it would check all recipients of disability activity support benefits, Jeon Jeon-yeon protested.
The city of Seoul supports activity benefits with its own budget in addition to the government subsidy, and a total investigation was conducted on regarding 3,000 recipients to determine whether they were recipients of illegal benefits.
[서울시 관계자]
″It is because it is suspected that the recipient only moved the address to Seoul and actually lives in the province, and confirmation is needed.″
On the other hand, Jeon Jeon-yeon opposes, ″The national pension is already supported by the information on recipients secured by the National Pension Service, but the reason why the Seoul Metropolitan Government is conducting a “double investigation” is to kill a specific group.”
[박경석/전국장애인철폐연대 상임대표]
″We are already updating the national pension every three years. It’s something we investigate every now and then.”
Jeon Jeon plans to continue the sit-in, including demonstrations on Line 1, until the 20th of next month, the Day of the Disabled.
However, tensions between the two sides are rising once more, with Mayor Oh Se-hoon suggesting a tough response policy, saying, “I will correct illegal acts.”
This is Ji Yoon-soo from MBC News.
The conflict between the disabled group and the Seoul Metropolitan Government over discrimination and benefits investigation continues to intensify. The disabled protesters are demonstrating on the subway and staging sit-ins, while the city authorities are implementing a tough response policy. The dispute seems far from resolved, and the tensions are likely to escalate further. It is concerning that such discrimination and conflict still exist in our society in the 21st century. It is necessary for both parties to engage in constructive dialogues to seek a peaceful and fair solution to the issue. We hope for a better future where everyone, regardless of their abilities, can enjoy equal rights and opportunities.