Wheelchair Lifts To Be Removed in Seoul, Elevators Coming

Seoul Metro, an operator of the city’s subway service from Line Nos. 1 to 8, will remove 23 wheelchair lifts in 17 subway stations with a plan to install elevators in every subway station by the city’s underground traffic operator, The Korea Herald reports. In the past 30 years since their implementation, the lifts have continuously raised safety issues. Elevators will be installed to improve public transportation and pedestrian environments and increase mobility for people with disabilities and the elderly. The cost of the demolition is approximately KRW69 million won (US$50,178), and the construction period will take 60 days. There are 103 wheelchair lifts still installed at subway stations managed by the Seoul Metro. In some stations, removing wheelchair lifts can lead to excessively long routes, so Seoul Metro plans to remove these lifts after consulting with relevant organizations such as the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Korea Elevator Safety Corp.