SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) — The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Tuesday that all 338 subway stations in the capital are now equipped with elevator access from ground level to the platforms, marking a milestone in the city's efforts to improve public transit accessibility.
To commemorate the achievement, city officials held a ceremony at Kkachisan Station on Line 5. The completion of the "one-route" system means that passengers with reduced mobility, including those using wheelchairs, can now navigate from the street to the train platforms entirely via elevators without outside assistance.
However, the announcement was met with friction. Members of a group advocating the disabled staged a protest at the ceremony site, challenging the city’s claim of universal accessibility.
The advocacy group argued that the city's declaration is misleading, noting that several stations within the broader metropolitan network — specifically those managed by the state-run Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) — still lack necessary elevator installations.
Protesters claimed that describing the project as "complete" overlooks the persistent barriers faced by disabled commuters transferring between different jurisdictions.
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