The disabled advocacy group that has been staging protests by boarding commuter subways in wheelchairs at locations such as Seoul Station has decided to completely halt the protests.

Today (the 24th), the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SapePD), the Democratic Party of Korea members at the Seoul Metropolitan Council, and the Seoul Metropolitan Party of the Democratic Party held a press conference for the "Social Grand Compromise Declaration to Guarantee the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" at the Seoul Metropolitan Council building and announced this decision.

The Democratic Party members of the council promised to pass the party's first and second official ordinances, which guarantee the right to mobility and labor for people with disabilities, in the upcoming plenary session.

SapePD stated that it welcomes the decision by the Democratic Party council members and will completely suspend its commuter subway boarding protests.

Through a resolution, the participants in the press conference stated, "We resolve to stand in solidarity until the end to create an equal society where the presence or absence of a disability is not a barrier, and a Seoul Metropolitan Government where people enjoy dignity beyond mere survival."

Previously, SapePD had temporarily suspended its commuter subway protests following a meeting with Minister of Planning and Budget Park Hong-keun on the 19th.

At the time, SapePD announced the cancellation of the daily scheduled "commuter subway boarding campaign" at Seoul Station, while giving notice that it would proceed with the subway boarding protest at Seoul Station at 8:00 a.m. today as planned before announcing its stance on whether to continue the protests.

According to SapePD, demanding the guarantee of rights for people with disabilities, they have staged commuter subway protests 73 times starting from December 3, 2021.

(Photo: Yonhap News)