[Pressure points] Should priority seating for pregnant women be kept empty?

A priority seat designated for pregnant women (marked in pink) is occupied in a Seoul subway car. (The Korea Herald)

Seoul Metro's trains have had priority seats reserved for pregnant women since 2013.

These pink seats, located at the ends of some rows, however, have been a source of continuous controversy. Recently, debate erupted online and in local media when one individual proposed that the city install a sensor system to prevent ineligible passengers from sitting in them, so they remain readily available in the event that a pregnant woman might need one.

Apart from practical issues associated with introducing such a sensor system, the debate has raised a lingering question that many have been pondering: Is it acceptable to sit in these seats until a pregnant woman boards the train?

Keep them empty

The proposal submitted to the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s online platform for policy proposals from residents on June 5 envisions sensor-activated alarms and lights that flash when anyone other than pregnant women occupy such seats.

The author of the proposal, identified only by the surname Kim, argues that currently the priority seats rely solely on the kindness of people, so they risk failing to fulfill their original purpose of accommodating those in need.

It would require a two-part system: a sensor to detect whether or not the priority seat is occupied and a card reader for pregnant women to tap their badge and confirm their pregnant status. If triggered, an alarm and warning message would prompt any passenger attempting to sit there: "Please tap your pregnant status badge."

Yoon Hye-mi, a Seoul resident in her 30s who is expecting in October, said that when a pink seat is occupied, she finds it awkward to ask the person to vacate.

"I've seen people occupying those seats, and even with my pregnancy badge, they simply ignore me, often engrossed in their phones. To avoid confrontation, I just stand during my commute,” Yoon said. “It would be nice if the seats were left empty.”

Lim Seo-yeon, a 31-year-old office worker living in Seoul, expressed a similar sentiment.

"I've used those seats when no others were available, thinking I would give up the seat immediately if a pregnant woman were to board the train," Lim said. "But for some pregnant women (without a badge), their condition might not be readily apparent. It was hard for me to tell."

Similar sentiments were expressed among The Korea Herald readers online.

"I was six months pregnant and took the subway, and one lady was sitting and didn’t even stand," a reader identified by the Instagram handle elotmani_siham08 said. "I am a foreigner, so I didn’t want to have any problems since I don’t speak Korean."

Another comment from Instagram user andiemelana echoed the opinion that the seat should be left empty: "Just like people shouldn’t park in disabled car park spots, why should they sit in the priority seat?"

There are also those who opposed the idea of installing sensor-activated alarms but still believe the seats should be left empty.

"I think the alarm is a stupid idea. It will only cause more hate toward pregnant women," said Gyeonggi Province resident Jang Hyun-joo, 33. "But I believe they should be left empty for pregnant women. Honestly, the number of priority seats don't seem enough to talk about efficiency."

'Everyone deserves a seat'

Many others indeed highlight the inefficiency of leaving the pink seats empty.

"Everyone deserves a seat on a crowded journey," said Park, a 40-something Seoul resident. "With the low birth rate, these seats often remain empty. Leaving them unoccupied seems like a waste."

One online commenter expressed frustration about the issue, according to a local news article: "I don't know why I pay my money to commute to and from work and have to feel guilty about sitting in an actual seat. Those policymakers are no help, coming up with useless ideas."

The government is also against mandating that the seats be left empty.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government acknowledges the frequent misuse of the priority seats, as evidenced by the number of complaints: 7,334 in 2022, 7,086 in 2023 and 2,421 for 2024 as of May. However, they express reservations about mandating that the seats be kept empty using alarms or other means.

"There's no legal basis to enforce exclusive use, and repetitive alarms could disturb other passengers,” the city said in a press release following the June 5 policy proposal.

Seoul Metro, which operates Subway Line Nos. 1-8, shares the concerns.

It emphasizes the importance of the current system being based on voluntary participation, similar to the general priority seating for vulnerable groups, and worries that Kim's proposal might exacerbate conflict between users.

"It might cause gender or generational conflict," a Seoul Metro official said.

"Pressure points" delves into the seemingly trivial, yet surprisingly contentious topics that ignite debate in our everyday lives. -- Ed.

By Song Seung-hyun(ssh@heraldcorp.com)