SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) – Seoul Metro, the operator of Seoul’s subway system, has filed a lawsuit for damages against a disability rights group over subway ride protests, city officials said Tuesday. said to
The city-run company said on Friday that it had filed a complaint against train delays and other losses caused by 75 illegal protests staged by the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD) since December 6. filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court for damages of 145 million won (US$484,000). On March 3, 2021, they said.
An activist from Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination is surrounded by Seoul Metro workers and police at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station on Subway Line 4 on January 3, 2023. (Yonhap)
The group took the subway to protest at a major station in central Seoul, demanding more government funding to protect the rights of people with disabilities.
Wheelchair-bound activists repeatedly boarded and disembarked from trains during the morning rush hour, disrupting subway services.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon declared a zero-tolerance policy in response to their protests late last month and threatened tough legal action.
In late 2021, Seoul Metro filed a lawsuit against SADD, claiming compensation of 30 million won.
Last month, the Seoul Central District Court held an arbitration, asking Seoul Subway to add elevators to subway stations and demanding that SADD stop the protests. The court ruled that SADD will have to pay Seoul Subway 5 million won for every 5 minutes that SADD runs late.
The group accepted a compromise, but the Seoul subway and city government rejected it.
SADD resumed its protests last month, and the company warned of additional lawsuits earlier this week.
Last Wednesday, the group said it would suspend protests until January 19 and demanded a meeting with Mayor Kure.
Wang accepted the offer, but the two sides have yet to agree on the details of the proposed meeting.
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