What's happening

Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD) is staging a boarding protest at Hyehwa Station on Line 4 at 8 a.m. on four Mondays, the first of them this coming Monday, followed by Aug. 10, Aug. 18 and Aug. 24, 2026. According to the group, activists plan to board a train bound for Dongdaemun and ride it six stops to Seoul Station, then march to the Korea Public Finance Information Service in Jung-gu.

Who is affected

Anyone riding Line 4 between Hyehwa Station and Seoul Station during the 8 a.m. hour on these four Mondays could run into the protest.

What happened last time

The group returned to the subway campaign on July 2 after a six-month pause. On that day, roughly 60 activists filled six train cars, and boarding stretched to closer to 8:50 a.m. instead of the planned 8 a.m. That July 2 protest is separate from the four dates scheduled for this month.

Why the group is protesting

SADD's subway campaign has intensified since late 2021 and traces back to a 2001 accident at Oido Station, when a wheelchair lift malfunction killed an elderly woman. The group is pressing its demands ahead of the National Assembly's vote on the 2027 budget bill in September; the government has proposed a budget of more than 800 trillion won, over 10 percent above this year's and described as the largest ever, with tax revenue for 2027 projected to top 500 trillion won. Nine legal cases involving Seoul Metro are ongoing. Separately, Seoul ended a program that paid about 400 severely disabled workers for advocacy and awareness work rather than conventional output; 285 of those workers have been reassigned. Seoul says elevators now reach nearly every station on its subway network.

Riders on Seoul's Line 4 between Hyehwa Station and Seoul Station should expect a brief disruption during the 8 a.m. hour on four Mondays this month, beginning this coming Monday and continuing on Aug. 10, Aug. 18 and Aug. 24, 2026.

  • Where it happens: the protest starts at Hyehwa Station and moves six stops toward Seoul Station on a train bound for Dongdaemun, before the group marches to the Korea Public Finance Information Service in Jung-gu.
  • What to expect based on precedent: during a similar protest on July 2 (not one of the four scheduled August dates), boarding stretched to about 8:50 a.m. instead of the planned 8 a.m., so travelers on this stretch during the 8 a.m. hour may want to allow extra time.