The ‘non-stop’ regulation used as a rubber band in the Jeon Yeon-yeon protests… Seoul Transport Corporation “No problem” but push for revision

As the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Transportation Corporation responded with “passing without stopping” to stop the subway protests by the National Unity for the Elimination of Discrimination against People with Disabilities (Jeon Jang-yeon), it is noted that the basis for making a decision not to stop at the protests arbitrarily. It was confirmed that the Seoul Transport Corporation had prepared an amendment to add an ‘assembly and display’ condition to the related regulations internally, while expressing its position that there is no regulatory problem in making such a decision.

There are two regulations introduced by the Seoul Transport Corporation as the basis for the decision not to stop. First of all, Article 62 of the Bylaws for Management Services states that ‘drivers may pass through the station without stopping in consultation with the station manager if the safety of passengers is at risk due to passenger congestion, disturbances or situations unusual.’ In addition, Article 37 of the Established Rules for Office and Station Operating Businesses stipulates that ‘the station manager can report the situation to the general control center and ask trains to pass without stopping if the safety of passengers is concerned because passenger congestion, disturbances, or unusual situations.’ .

The Seoul Transportation Corporation explained why a stop was not made at Itaewon Station on subway line 6 even at the time of the Itaewon disaster on October 29 last year, saying, “The Halloween case does not fall under this regulation.”

In order to apply the relevant regulations to the protests at the Jeonjang-yeon, it is necessary to consider ‘whether the demonstration at the Jeon-jang-yeon is a bottleneck of passengers, a disturbance, or an unusual situation’ and ‘whether the safety is of passengers is threatened by the protest in the Jeon-jang-yeon’. An official from the Seoul Transportation Corporation said in a phone call with a reporter on the 4th, “(Jeonjang-yeon’s protests) can be interpreted as a disturbance or an unusual situation, and because of this, if a train is stopped at one station for a long time, a large number of passengers gather and there is a risk of a mass accident.” explained.

Criticism arises that looking at the boarding protest as a ‘dangerous situation’ rather than an ‘inconvenient situation’ is an ‘appropriate’ interpretation for the purpose of limiting the protest.

Kim Sang-cheol, chairman of the Public Transportation Network Policy Committee, said, “It makes no sense to interpret that there is concern for passenger safety because of protests when there is no emergency, such as a fire on the platform.” right that it is of limited use.”

It was revealed that the Seoul Transport Corporation is pushing for an internal review of related regulations, while revealing its position that there is no problem with non-stop response even under the current regulations.

According to the amendment prepared by the corporation on the 27th of last month, Article 62 of the traffic management bylaws is due to be changed to ‘The manager of the control center may operate a non-stop route in consultation with the station manager if there is a previous order. a request from a related organization due to a local service, demonstration or festival.’ to be. ‘Even if there is no prior application, if a person in charge of the relevant agency makes an urgent application’ is also added as a requirement for non-stop operation. The non-stop condition will be changed from ‘when there is concern for passenger safety such as disruption’ to ‘when there is a request due to a rally, demonstration or local festival’.

The Seoul Transport Corporation plans to complete the reform in the first half of this year after gathering internal opinions and receiving approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. If the rules are changed, it seems that it will be easier to pass without stopping in the situation of protests on the battlefield. An official from the construction explained, “It is not a review to prevent protests on the battlefield, but a measure to clarify the existing regulations further.”

Meanwhile, on the afternoon of the 4th, Jeon Jeon-yeon held a meeting with Seok-ho Kim, head of the sales headquarters of the Seoul Transportation Corporation, and said, “We will suspend the boarding protest until the 19th while waiting for an answer to the request for a meeting with Seoul Mayor Se-hoon Oh.” The Seoul Transportation Corporation previously proposed that it would allow passengers to ride if each train was accompanied by a subway sheriff and a wheelchair, but Jeon Jeon strongly protested, saying, “It’s a government policy that ignores the rights of people with disabilities.”