Police have referred 24 disability rights activists to the prosecution for further investigation and potential indictment for delaying subway services with rush-hour subway protests, officials said Monday.
Since late last year, the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD) has staged subway-riding protests at major stations in central Seoul on and off, demanding an increased government budget to protect the rights of people with disabilities.
Wheelchair-bound activists have repeatedly boarded and disembarked trains to cause delays in metro services during the morning rush hour, drawing stiff complaints from commuters.
“The Seoul Namdaemun Police Station is currently investigating 29 SADD members. Of them, police referred 24 to the prosecution,” the officials said.
Criminal charges pressed against them were obstruction of traffic and disturbance of subway operations by Seoul Metro.
The officials said police plan to wrap up the investigation or refer the other five suspected SADD members to the prosecution soon.
Later in the day, Seoul Metro let 13 subway trains skip a station in central Seoul due to disability rights activists’ attempt to resume subway protests.
The Subway Line 4 trains passed through Samgakji Station without stopping between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m., as the subway operator has decided to deter them from delaying train operations.
The move came after Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said last week the Seoul city government will not “tolerate” the group’s protests.
Source : Yonhap News
