The National Coalition for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Jeonjangyeon) resumed its regular bus protest on July 1, marking the first such demonstration in 22 years.
According to Yonhap News, around 10 activists in wheelchairs, led by Jeonjangyeon representative Park Kyung-seok, staged a protest from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at a bus stop near Hyehwa Rotary in Jongno-gu, demanding, "Let us board the bus on our commute!"
They chanted slogans such as, "Guarantee the mobility rights of people with disabilities!" and "Stop discriminatory buses and fully implement low-floor buses!" The group called for a comprehensive revision of the Mobility Rights Guarantee Act, which mandates the installation of wheelchair-accessible facilities on all buses and taxis.
The activists referred to buses that are inaccessible due to steps as "discriminatory buses" and placed stickers on the front of buses demanding the assurance of mobility rights.
When crowded buses attempted to leave without accommodating them, the activists knocked on the bus doors, shouting, "Please let us on!" Park even stepped onto the road to block the buses repeatedly.
As a result, some commuters were forced to get off without reaching their destinations, leading to heated exchanges.
During the activists' attempts to board, bus departures were delayed for as long as 10 minutes, and buses arriving in dedicated lanes were seen waiting in line or veering out of their lanes.
Police issued two warnings, stating that the protest could lead to penalties for illegal demonstrations and violations of traffic laws, but did not make any arrests.
Meanwhile, the organization plans to continue its struggle for two days, starting with the bus boarding protest.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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