Chaos erupts as residents storm meeting over school for disabled
Residents opposing the construction of a school for students with disabilities speak at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education briefing Monday. / Yonhap
By Lee Suh-yoon
Seoul's plan to build a school for disabled students was disrupted on Monday by residents who oppose it in fear of negative effects on their property prices.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education hosted a briefing by Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon on the construction of the school in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul, but it was brought to a halt by protesting residents.
The opponents demanded that the new school be built in one of eight other districts in Seoul that have no such schools.
The new school is aimed at easing overcrowded classes.
“Don't lie. We never agreed to this plan,” one resident shouted as the superintendent tried to allay opposition by presenting a plan for a new public library at the school.
Some residents at the meeting in favor of the plan spoke out against fellow residents.
“You should be ashamed of yourselves. Don't call yourself a Gangseo-gu resident,” one resident shouted at another in a video footage SBS released.
Parents of children with disabilities were also present. Some became tearful as the meeting broke down.
The education office said it remains committed to opening the new school by September next year. No new special school for the disabled has been built in Seoul since 2002.