Disabled activists end subway protests after compromise with DP

Seoul, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- The disability rights group Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD) has announced it will cease its subway-riding protests, which have been held in the South Korean capital to demand increased government spending and mobility rights for people with disabilities. The decision was reached after SADD held negotiations with members of the Seoul Metropolitan Council's ruling party and the Democratic Party's (DP) Seoul city chapter.

The parties involved agreed to a "grand social compromise" aimed at guaranteeing the rights of individuals with disabilities. In a statement, the SADD resolution reads, "We resolve to stand in solidarity until the end to create an equal society where disability is not a barrier and a city where people can enjoy dignity beyond mere survival."

The DP has pledged to introduce two new ordinances during the upcoming Seoul city council plenary session, intended to secure the mobility and labor rights of people with disabilities. SADD welcomed the party's decision and stated it would suspend its subway protests entirely. Since December 3, 2021, SADD has conducted 73 subway-riding protests during the morning rush hour, advocating for enhanced rights and mobility for individuals with disabilities.