Disability, accessibility, and inclusivity in mobility: struggles for the right of mobility for disabled individuals in South Korea

Abstract

The right to mobility is a fundamental human right that must be accessible to all individuals, regardless of their disability. To disabled people, the right of mobility is closely related to their survival such as labor and employment, and access to public transportation systems is especially crucial in their ability to fully join the society. This article explores the state of the mobility and accessibility of people with disabilities in public transportation, focusing on the challenges faced by disabled individuals in South Korea and their advocacy efforts aimed at dealing with these challenges. The recent wheelchair demonstrations of disabled people at Seoul subways has attracted widespread social debate over disabled mobility rights, along with increased awareness and governmental declaration of further support. The journey to full accessibility and inclusivity is ongoing and it is a journey that every country should pursue together with determination and commitment.

Keywords:

• Disability
• mobility right
• South Korea
• subway protests
• inclusive society

Mobility is a fundamental aspect of human dignity and inclusivity. Inclusive transportation systems are essential to ensure that all members of society can access employment, education, healthcare, and social activities (Nima et al. 2022). For disabled individuals, access to public transportation systems is an especially crucial factor in their ability to participate fully in society (You and Hwang 2018). Ensuring that people with disabilities can navigate the city efficiently and with dignity is a moral and legal imperative. This study explores the state of disabled mobility and accessibility in public transportation with a focus on the challenges faced by South Korean disabled individuals and the advocacy efforts aimed at addressing these challenges.

The right to mobility and disability rights

The right to mobility is a fundamental human right that encompasses the freedom of individuals to move within and between communities, regions, and countries. It is recognized as a key element of an inclusive society, ensuring that individuals can access education, employment, healthcare, and social activities. This right is enshrined and protected in various international human rights treaties, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. National governments are responsible for upholding and protecting these rights for their citizens and residents. The right to mobility may be subject to restrictions in cases of public health, national security, or other emergencies. However, such restrictions should be proportionate, necessary, and non-discriminatory. It is essential for personal freedom, economic opportunities, family reunification, and the pursuit of a better quality of life.

For disabled individuals, the right to mobility takes on even greater significance, as it is often intertwined with their broader struggle for equal opportunities and participation (Park et al. 2023). This right is a fundamental aspect of disability rights. Disability rights encompass a wide range of legal, social, and ethical principles aimed at ensuring that individuals with disabilities enjoy equal opportunities, full participation, and equal treatment in all aspects of life, including mobility and transportation (Lim 2020). Globally, disability rights are recognized through agreements such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which emphasizes the importance of accessibility and mobility for individuals with disabilities. Specifically, Article 9 of the CRPD clearly states that disabled individuals have the right to access transportation systems on an equal basis with others. Ensuring accessibility and inclusivity in transportation is not only a legal obligation but also a moral imperative. Hence, the right to mobility is an integral part of disability rights, as it ensures that people with disabilities can participate fully in society, access essential services, and enjoy the same opportunities as those without disabilities.

A brief overview of advocacy and campaigns for the mobility rights of people with disabilities in South Korea

Advocacy and campaigns for the mobility rights of people with disabilities in South Korea have a relatively recent history. Prior to the 1960s, there was little awareness or support for the rights and needs of people with disabilities in South Korea. The first steps towards advocacy for disability rights began in the late 1960s and 1970s. During this period, some organizations and activists began advocating for accessibility improvements and equal rights for people with disabilities. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw a significant increase in disability-related legislation and policies. In 1981, for instance, the Korean Federation for Disabled people (KFDP) was established as a major advocacy organization. The passage of the ‘Act on Welfare of Disabled Persons’ in 1981 marked a significant step in recognizing the rights of people with disabilities. In 1993, the government passed the ‘Barrier-Free Environment Construction Act,’ which aimed to improve accessibility in public spaces.

Since mid-1990s, South Korea has continued to strengthen its legal framework for disability rights and accessibility. Notable legislative developments include amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act in 2007, which expanded protections against discrimination, and the continued implementation of the Barrier-Free Environment Construction Act to enhance physical accessibility. In 2008, South Korea ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This international treaty has played a significant role in shaping the country’s disability policies and advocacy efforts, emphasizing the importance of promoting the full inclusion and participation of people with disabilities.

While significant progress has been made in advocating for the mobility rights of people with disabilities in South Korea especially since the 2000s, challenges persist. These include addressing attitudinal barriers, ensuring comprehensive accessibility, and promoting greater employment opportunities. Therefore, continued demonstrations and campaigns have taken place in South Korean public transportations such as subways, highlighting the importance of accessibility and inclusivity for disabled individuals. In 2014, for instance, disabled activists staged a protest at Seoul Station, crawling on their hands and knees to highlight the lack of accessibility in the subway system. This dramatic demonstration drew significant media attention and public awareness to the issue. In 2017, disabled individuals and their supporters staged a protest in Seoul, demanding improved accessibility in the national subway/train system. The demonstration highlighted the lack of elevator facilities in many subway stations, hindering disabled individuals’ ability to use public transportation independently.

In addition, the ‘Accessible Taxis/Bus Campaign’ has advocated for more accessible taxi and bus services in the country. Demonstrations and awareness campaigns have pushed for an increase in accessible taxis/buses equipped with ramps and other features to accommodate disabled passengers. In 2019, disabled activists staged the ‘Invisible Wall’ demonstration in Seoul’s subway system. They used white canes and wheelchairs to symbolize the barriers they faced daily. The demonstration drew attention to the lack of accessibility and garnered widespread media coverage, leading to increased public awareness and discussions about subway accessibility.

Recent disabled mobility demonstrations at Seoul subways in controversy

In order to secure basic mobility rights, such as using public transportation, and the relevant budget for disabled people, the National Coalition for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities has held 25 times subway protests since the ‘Ride the subway to work’ movement began on Seoul Subway Line 5 on December 3, 2021, until March 28, 2022.

Demonstrations, such as getting on and off the subway in a wheelchair, do inevitably delay train operations of the subway. However, disabled people from the National Coalition for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities did not come out to the subway station from the beginning. The first place they visited was the National Assembly. But the National Assembly answered that even though the law for the disabled mobility is made it cannot be properly implemented if the government does not allocate the budget. Therefore, they went to the Ministry of Planning and Finance to ask. Again, however, they could not hear a reasonable answer and protested in front of the Ministry of Planning and Finance more than 80 times, but there was little interest from the media and citizens as well as the authorities.

In this regard, the National Coalition for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities said that the subway protest was an action not only to secure subway elevators but also to advocate for mobility rights for disabled people. It was pointed out that the use of the subway is only part of the issue and the practical guarantee of the right to mobility for disabled people still has a long way to go. They continued to say that although the amendment to the ‘Act on the Promotion of Mobility for the Mobility Weak’ passed the National Assembly on Dec. 31, 2021, it is not enough to guarantee the right to mobility for disabled people. In other words, the effectiveness of the revised law, which calls for all new buses to be low-floor buses and supports the operation of call-taxi services for disabled people, is to be a question. It is because the contents are not an obligation to ‘support’ but a voluntary provision of ‘supportable’ for disabled mobility. Moreover, the budget for mobility rights for disabled people is still stipulated by local governments, most of whose budget rely on the central government, thus it is questionable how many local governments will spend their taxes on non-mandatory provisions.

In addition, low-floor buses operated by private companies are mandatory only for city and village buses, and intercity and express buses are excluded from the list. On top of that, the low-floor buses are not required to be introduced if the structure and facilities of the road are not suitable for the buses. Accordingly, it is again questionable how much the demand for expansion of low-floor buses will be fulfilled from the perspective of disabled mobility. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the Gyeonggi Provincial Research Institute in 2017, wheelchair users’ satisfaction with low-floor buses was very low with 1.84 out of 5 points. It is not only because there are not many low-floor bus routes themselves, but also there are still many inconveniences due to road and bus stop conditions to use them.

The wheelchair struggle of disabled people on Seoul subways has attracted widespread social debate over disabled mobility rights, drawing keen attention from the media and citizens. While public awareness of the importance of the right to mobility for disabled people and its fragile current situation has been raised, complaints and criticisms of their extreme demonstrations conducted in a way that restricts the mobility right for non-disabled people have also increased. In addition, the opinions whether it is reasonable enough for the disabled organizations to demand a significant rise in the national budget for disabled people in areas such as labor/employment and education as well as the transportation section are confronting tightly.

Progress and ongoing challenges, and frustrated demonstrations

The disabled demonstrations in South Korean subways have achieved some positive outcomes, including increased awareness and discussions about accessibility and inclusivity. The present government declared that it would steadily strengthen the state’s support for enhancing mobility rights for disabled people (e.g. using low-floor buses for intercity and express buses, further supporting call taxi services for disabled people) by expanding the budget, also including expanding employment opportunities and strengthening the support for education and creative activities. In addition, on January 28, 2022, the Seoul Metropolitan Government declared its plan to complete elevator installations by 2024 at all 275 stations on Seoul Subway Lines 1 to 8 to strengthen mobility rights for disabled people.

However, there is still much work to be done to fully ensure the right of mobility for disabled individuals, especially regarding the budget. According to the Seoul Transportation Corporation, for instance, 254 of the 275 stations on Lines 1 to 8 in 2022 have elevators while the remaining 21 stations have no elevators available to the transport-weak persons yet. The installation cost is about 65 billion Korean won, but the relevant budget of Seoul Government is only 9.6 billion Korean won for 2023, which means that it is unclear to fulfill the completion plan by 2024. Furthermore, changing public perceptions, such as negative attitudes and even discrimination towards disabled individuals, is an ongoing challenge as well.

Currently, the National Coalition for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities has stopped their subway protests by the governmental forcible crackdowns and persuasion, further focusing on the cooperation with the international communities such as UN and the public opinion campaigns.

Social inclusivity and continued advocacy for disabled mobility and accessibility

The right to mobility is a fundamental human right that must be accessible to all individuals, regardless of their disability. To disabled people, the right of mobility is closely related to their survival. According to the ‘2020 Survey on the Status of Persons with Disabilities’ released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in April 2021, 55.7% of disabled people have middle school or lower education levels. The economic activity participation rate of disabled people (i.e. the proportion of the economically active population among the population aged 15 or older) was 37% and the practical employment rate was only 34.9%. The more serious information here is that the rate of use of public transportation by disabled people is 27.5%, which shows that the mobility rights of disabled people should be primarily secured in order to improve their education and employment.

The efforts of activists, advocacy groups, and the broader community are essential in realizing a more inclusive, accessible, and equitable transportation system. The journey toward full accessibility and inclusivity is ongoing and it is a journey that every nation must continue to pursue with determination and commitment.

In closing, let us reflect on the earnest words of Park Gyeong-seok, the co-representative of the National Coalition for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities, who reminds us of the fundamental human yearning for inclusivity and autonomy: ‘Please do not ignore our outcry for 22 years. We want to ride the subway as freely as anyone else as well. That is the very reason why, despite the challenges, we persist in taking the subway to work each day.’

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Seed Program for Korean Studies of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the Korean Studies Promotion Service at the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS-2022-INC-2230008).