Park Kyeong-seok, the leader of the disability rights group that has been staging rush-hour subway protests, was taken into custody on Friday after refusing to turn up for police questioning 18 times.

The police took the chief of Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination into custody at 11:50 a.m. outside the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in central Seoul during his press conference.

Park held the press conference from inside a cage, with chains around his body, and called out to the police to execute the warrant once the event was over.

He said that his group's actions are a statement against society's discrimination against the disabled.

Seoul Namdaemun Police Station on Thursday received an arrest warrant for the protest he led in subway stations including Sinyongsan, Samgakji and Gyeongbokgung stations in Seoul's subway network since January 2021 over a period of two years.

The group demanded that the Seoul city government introduce convenience facilities, such as elevators, for disabled citizens in all the subway stations in the city.

While ignoring the police’s requirements, the activist maintained that he would turn up for questioning voluntarily only when the police pledge to install facilities for disabled people in all the police stations in Seoul.

Park arrived by bus at 12:20 p.m. in front of Seoul Namdaemun Police Station where “Seoul bus for disabled citizens” was written.