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Seoul commuters face delays due to disability rights protest on subway

Published: 03 Dec. 2025, 09:55 Updated: 03 Dec. 2025, 10:00

Activists with the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination group stage a protest at Yongsan Station in central Seoul on Dec. 3. [SOLIDARITY AGAINST DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION]

Commuters in Seoul faced rush hour delays on Wednesday, when disability rights activists held a boarding protest on a Line No. 1 subway platform to press the government for stronger funding commitments in next year’s budget.

Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination began its display at about 8:10 a.m. on the northbound platform at Yongsan Station in central Seoul toward Namyeong Station, according to the Korea Railroad Corporation.

The protest held up train operations for roughly 30 minutes, affecting travel during one of the busiest periods of the morning.

The group said the 2026 spending plan “does not include funding for disability rights” and called on the government to secure a budget that protects the rights of people with disabilities. It said it intends to continue similar actions in the coming days.

The protest coincided with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, an observance promoted by the UN and celebrated every year on Dec. 3.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]