The activists affiliated with the Nationwide Coalition against Discrimination against the Disabled (Jeonjangyeon) ended their high-altitude protest after 15 days, occupying the bell tower of the Hyehwa Cathedral in Jongno District, Seoul.
On the 2nd, Jeonjangyeon announced on Facebook that a dialogue session had been arranged with the Minister of Health and Welfare and the Archdiocese of Seoul, leading to the three activists who had climbed the bell tower to conclude their protest.
Police arrested the three activists who descended from the bell tower on charges of violating laws related to violent acts (joint trespass). They are reportedly being transported to the National Medical Center in Jung District, Seoul, for treatment.
Earlier, activists affiliated with Jeonjangyeon, the National Coalition for the Liberation of Institutionalized Disabled People, and the Seoul Coalition for the Abolition of Discrimination against Disabled People began their unauthorized protest here on the 18th of last month, opposing the Catholic Church's stance on the de-institutionalization policy for disabled people.
De-institutionalization refers to releasing disabled individuals from residential facilities without further confinement. Although the legislation concerning the support for independent living of disabled individuals related to de-institutionalization recently passed the National Assembly, the Catholic Church is conducting a petition campaign to abolish the legislation.
Jeonjangyeon demands not only the guarantee of mobility rights for disabled individuals but also 'support for the de-institutionalization program for severely disabled individuals' when conducting 'boarding protests' that disrupt subway operations.