▲ Park Kyoung-seok, the 63-year-old leader of Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD), is taken to a hospital in Jungnang District after the police tried to arrest him for holding an illegal protest on Nov. 24, 2023. (Yonhap)
▲ Park Kyoung-seok (L) and activists of the disability rights advocacy group hold a press conference in Seoul's Hyehwa Station on Nov. 24, 2023, a day after Seoul Metro announced measures to ban all subway protests by the group the previous day. (Yonhap)

disability group-police

Leader of disability rights group detained during subway protest

SEOUL, Nov. 24 (Yonhap) -- The leader of a disability rights advocacy group was taken into custody during a rush-hour subway protest Friday, a day after Seoul Metro announced measures to ban all demonstrations led by the group.

The police detained Park Kyoung-seok, the 63-year-old leader of Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD), on the platform of Seoul's Hyehwa Station at 8:50 a.m. on charges of obstructing business and violating the Railroad Safety Act.

Park complained of extreme pain while being hauled away by the police and was referred to a hospital.

The disability rights advocacy group resumed the morning rush-hour protest this week, after a two-month halt since the last collective action on Sept. 25.

They have been staging subway protests since 2021, demanding increased government funding to protect the rights of people with disabilities, including mobility rights.

Following the resumption of subway protests, Seoul Metro announced measures to block the group's entry into subway stations with the help of the police, prevent them from boarding subway trains by not opening or shutting the platform doors and taking legal action against all illegal acts.

SADD held a press conference on the subway platform of Line 4 on Friday morning, denouncing the subway operator's decision as "illegal," saying it goes against constitutional rights and the act related to the promotion of transportation convenience for mobility disadvantaged persons.

Park said they will put off the morning rush-hour subway protest scheduled for Dec. 1, if the government and the ruling party promises to increase the budget for mobility rights in the National Assembly.

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