Seoul completes elevator rollout across 338 stations; Protesters flag remaining barriers

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon left joins citizens in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Kkachisan Station on Line 5 in Gangseo District western Seoul on Dec 29 marking the completion of accessible elevator routes at every subway station in the city Yonhap

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, left, poses in a ceremony to mark the completion of accessible elevator routes at every subway station in the city, at Kkachisan Station on Line 5, Dec. 29, 2025. Yonhap

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) — The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Tuesday that all 338 subway stations in the capital are now equipped with elevator access from ground level to the platforms, marking a milestone in the city's efforts to improve public transit accessibility.

To commemorate the achievement, city officials held a ceremony at Kkachisan Station on Line 5. The completion of the "one-route" system means that passengers with reduced mobility, including those using wheelchairs, can now navigate from the street to the train platforms entirely via elevators without outside assistance.

However, the announcement was met with friction. Members of a group advocating the disabled staged a protest at the ceremony site, challenging the city’s claim of universal accessibility.

The advocacy group argued that the city's declaration is misleading, noting that several stations within the broader metropolitan network — specifically those managed by the state-run Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) — still lack necessary elevator installations.

Protesters claimed that describing the project as "complete" overlooks the persistent barriers faced by disabled commuters transferring between different jurisdictions.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon boards an elevator with representatives of passengers with reduced mobility after attending a ceremony marking the completion of accessible routes at every subway station held at Kkachisan Station on Line 5 in Gangseo District western Seoul on Dec 29 Yonhap

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, left, poses in a ceremony to mark the completion of accessible elevator routes at every subway station in the city, at Kkachisan Station on Line 5, Dec. 29, 2025. Yonhap

A notice directing passengers to an elevator is posted at an entrance of Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5 in Jongno District central Seoul on Dec 30 AJP Yoo Na-hyun

A notice directing passengers to an elevator is seen at an entrance to Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5 in Seoul, Dec. 30, 2025. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
Commuters board a subway train at Euljiro 4-ga Station in Jung District central Seoul on Dec 30