Man in wheelchair announces his candidacy for general election in subway station

Labor Party proportional representation candidate Yoo Yoo-woo declares his candidacy at the platform of Hyehwa Station on Subway Line 4 in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea, on Monday. by Kang Han-dle

An announcement by an official from Seoul Metro came out through a speaker at Hyehwa subway station in Seoul at 8 a.m. on March 19. "The Railway Safety Act prohibits loud speeches at stations, so we ask the group of disabled people making a noise to leave the station."

Then this time, the police warning came over the loudspeaker. "If you assault or intimidate the police or Seoul Metro officials during the eviction process, you will be severely punished." Meanwhile, a man in a wheelchair and a red jumper grabbed the microphone and cried at the top of his voice. "This is a place where the existence of the disabled is exposed and denied, but it is also a political space where rights resonate against the oppression of power," he said, announcing his candidacy for the upcoming general election in April.

The Labor Party held a press conference at the platform of Hyehwa Station, announcing that it had confirmed Yoo Jin-woo, an activist for the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD), as the No.2 candidate for proportional representation in the general election on April 10.

Yoo has been arrested twice by police on charges of violating the Railway Safety Act, interfering with train operations and causing injury while campaigning for the rights of the disabled. Police applied for an arrest warrant against Yoo in July last year and again in January this year. The Seoul Central District Court dismissed the arrest warrants both times.

“People with disabilities are being dragged out of Hyehwa Station every morning, just because they shouted for their rights," Yoo said. I have always been walking on eggshells when traveling, getting an education, and working, but now I will refuse to live like that and start a politics of resistance."

Yoo, who was born with severe brain lesions, used to dream of becoming a pastor. As a seminary student, he sent out more than 20 resumes to become a pastor, but no place gave him the opportunity to work, saying things like, "A pastor should manage a football team," or "There's no elevator.” Yoo said, "I gave up on my dream of becoming a pastor because I did not want to attend a seminary where discrimination against people with disabilities was rampant. Only 55 percent of people with disabilities graduate from middle school, which is a regular curriculum.” He then added, "We will put an end to discriminatory and hateful politics to create a society where diversity is respected and where no one is kicked out.”

Seoul Metro confiscated the amplifier at a press conference held by the Labor Party and continued to ask for eviction while Yoo's speech continued. After his speech, Labor Party officials left the station as they thought they could no longer continue the press conference. No citizens were taken by the police.

The Labor Party later continued the press conference at Marronnier Park near Hyehwa Station. Supporting Yoo’s candidacy, father Zacao, priest of the Yongsan Sharing House of the Korean Anglican Church, said, “Yoo is one of the many social minorities in Korean society, and I believe that he will become another crack in the solid wall of reality and serve as a stepping stone to the world we need to meet.”

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.