Strange pecking order of the vulnerable in Korean subways

[stutterflies.livejournal.com]

Strange pecking order of the vulnerable in Korean subways
Priority seats for pregnant women futile against social stigmatization, prerogative of seniors

By Claire Lee for The Korea Herald | September 4, 2015

Ahn Ji-young, a 31-year-old woman living in Seoul, has avoided taking public transportation since becoming pregnant.

“I’m worried about my baby,” said Ahn, who expects to deliver her child next month. “I get stressed and anxious whenever I sit on a priority seat on the subway. I’m constantly worried about being attacked by the elderly.”

Throughout her pregnancy, Ahn ― staggering to hold balance with her burgeoning belly and swollen feet ― has faced a number of uncomfortable situations while taking public transportation. People would hardly give up their seats. The recently-introduced special seats for pregnant women were rarely available, mostly occupied by nonchalant commuters of all ages. A number of times she even wore a name tag that said “Pregnant ladies first,” distributed by the government, but people hardly noticed it.

There were of course, the “general priority seats,” which are allocated at each train compartment’s farthest ends. These general priority seats are theoretically accessible to anyone who is “vulnerable” ― the elderly, people with disabilities, the injured, and pregnant women. They, too, have not been of much help, Ahn said. They were almost at all times occupied by the elderly, and whenever she secured one for herself, Ahn was often verbally attacked by senior citizens.

“You are such a young woman. What on earth are you doing here?” an elderly man once scolded her. “You should get up and leave.”

Ahn said she obeyed him, not because she wanted to, but because she was afraid. “I was so scared that he’d attack me. I was scared for my baby.”

A priority seat designated for pregnant women (marked in pink) is occupied by a non-pregnant passenger in a Seoul subway train. (Claire Lee/The Korea Herald)

Hierarchy among the ‘vulnerable’

Ahn’s story is rare in today’s South Korea, where the fertility rate is critically low while the aging population is surging dramatically. Earlier this month, a pregnant woman was physically attacked by an elderly man who was angry at her for sitting on a priority seat, which he thought should be exclusive for senior citizens.

In spite of the newly introduced priority seats for pregnant women only, it is still difficult for those with special needs to travel comfortably ― and safely ― because of the legacy of traditional ideologies that often discriminate against the young and women, experts said.

“When you think about it, there is a hierarchy among the ‘vulnerable’ in public transportation, and it’s greatly affected by the traditional values that prioritize the well-being of the elderly,” said Lee Soo-yeon, a researcher at the Korea Women’s Development Institute.

“Most people don’t question that the elderly deserve the priority seats. Their needs are generally recognized by the public. But pregnant women’s needs are often ignored. When they sit on the priority seats ― which they fully deserve ― they often get yelled at by senior citizens. And people hardly offer their seats for them, especially those in the early stage of pregnancy because they don’t ‘look’ pregnant.”

The Korean government first introduced the priority seats back in 1985, five years after its first subway line ― today’s Seoul Subway Line 1 ― opened in 1980. In 2013 the Welfare Ministry announced that it would designate separate and exclusive seats for pregnant women, after receiving “many and continuous” complaints.

It wouldn’t disclose the exact figures but said they were from “women who have been harassed by the elderly for sitting on priority seats.” The 62 million won project was part of the government’s plan to boost the nation’s low fertility rate, which currently stands at 1.21 children per women.

It also started giving out a special nametag, that says “Pregnant ladies first,” to pregnant women, so they can wear it to prove that they are in fact pregnant while sitting on the priority seats.

“We thought it was the most realistic solution to the problem,” said Min Seung-cheol from the Welfare Ministry when asked if the government ever considered educating the public instead of the purpose of the priority seats beyond the benefits of the elderly.

“The public perception doesn’t easily change. It takes time. We needed to do something that would improve the situation right away.”

‘I take cabs instead’

In July, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it decided to change the color of reserved seats for pregnant women to bright pink, so that more passengers would recognize and choose to save them for expectant mothers. The city government is spending 460 million won for the project, without any support from the central government, according to Choi Jeong-yoon from the SMG.

But Ahn Ji-young said the seats were hardly empty in spite of the color change, and her name tag did not help much, either. “No one really knew what it was,” she said. “It’s hard having a baby in this country,” she let out.

The Korea Herald monitored two seats of a subway exclusively reserved for expectant moms for a week, during a total of 10 subway rides from the Gwanghwamun Station to Haengdang Station in Seoul, mostly during rush hour. During the entire ride, women were able to take the seats only a total of four times. (It was not confirmed whether the women were pregnant.) On the contrary, many of the general priority seats were often left empty even during the most crowded hours, with people opting not to seat at all, rather than risk sitting there that otherwise were occupied by the seniors only.

“The general perception is that, you are either a horrible or at least ill-mannered person if you mistreat an elderly or take the priority seats ― which are I think the de-facto exclusive seats just for the elderly,” said Jang Yeon-ji, a 29-year-old woman who is currently seven months pregnant. “But most people, including young women, don’t think the same way about treating women with special needs, or taking seats designated for pregnant women.”

While suffering from her morning sickness, Jang very often chose to take a cab to commute to and from work instead, feeling unsafe in public transportation as she feels she cannot stand up throughout her 45-minute ride. Like Ahn, Jang was also scolded by an elderly man who demanded she give up her seat for him. Jang said she was aware of the name tag, but chose not to get it.

“The idea was just kind of embarrassing,” she said. “To wear the name tag and ask people to offer their seats. I just wouldn’t find it comfortable doing that. At the end of the day, I didn’t want to risk anything. I didn’t want to be stressed, to worry about not being able to sit down or the possibility of being scolded by the elderly.”

A name tag for pregnant women to wear while taking public transportation distributed by the Welfare Ministry. The tag says 'Pregnant ladies first.' (Ahn Ji-young)

The generational conflict

As of this year, there are some 6.62 million senior citizens ― those aged 65 or older ― living in South Korea. They account for 13.1 percent of the entire Korean population. With the country’s low fertility rate, coupled with the high ratio of baby boomers entering retirement age, Statistics Korea expects that the elderly will make up 15.7 percent of the population in 2020 and 40 percent by 2060.

Korea’s rapid industrialization and economic development since the 1950s made each generation’s collective experience dramatically different from one another.

Professor Lee Geum-ryong from Sangmyung University, whose research focuses on welfare programs for the elderly, said one of the key traits of the Korean elderly, which makes them different from the rest of the population, is their tumultuous life experience.

“I think the problematic behavior by elderly citizens in public places has to do with their life experiences enduring extreme poverty and the war, coupled with comparatively low education levels,” Lee said.

“Their values and priorities focused on basic survival and supporting themselves and their families. Life was harsh for them. While many thought it was their duty to sacrifice for their children, they didn’t get to learn about how to be tolerant of those who don’t belong to their family, or how to embrace new or different ideas.”

Kwak Geum-ju, a psychology professor at Seoul National University, said such behavior by many elderly has to do with their sense of isolation.

“Self-control helps people to solve motivational conflicts. It’s not uncommon for people to become more impulsive as they age,” she said.

“But on top of that, I think many Korean senior citizens think they are unappreciated and isolated in the society, that everything is focused on the interests of those who are younger. I think it has to do with how fast our society has changed. Today’s Korea is very different from the one they experienced when they were younger. Such a sense of isolation can come out in the form of violence when their emotional and other needs are not met.”

And according to the statistics, elderly Koreans aren’t happy. As of 2011, 48.6 percent of Korean senior citizens live below the poverty line, the highest rate among the OECD countries. A growing number of them are living alone, while 80 percent of them are known to spend their leisure time alone watching TV.

According to government data, only 7.8 percent of the Korean elderly received higher education as of last year. A total of 62.5 percent of them either only attended elementary school or never received any education at all.

‘We are wasting resources’

But nothing can justify pregnant women feeling unsafe in public transportation, according to experts. Some critics also pointed out that the current system ― in which the general priority seats serve as de facto reserved seats for the elderly ― is a waste of tax money and resources.

While the elderly are basically given two options of taking an ordinary seat or the priority seat, a younger traveler is automatically given only one choice of the ordinary seat, a scholar pointed out, wishing to remain unnamed.

“If the elderly chooses to sit on the nonpriority seat, instead of the priority seat, then one seat is being wasted. This is a waste ― the public transportation should benefit as many people as possible.

In spite of the government’s 81 trillion won investment in demographic policies to boost the fertility rate since 2006, it has fallen to its lowest ever level in recent years.

Paik Young-gyung, an anthropology professor at Korea National Open University, said that current policies failed to support women from all socioeconomic backgrounds and were not conscious of how pregnancies can in fact make women vulnerable to stigmatization according to their age, financial situation or marital status.

“You are lucky if you are pregnant and you can wear the name tag in public,” she said.

She explained women with less “fortunate” circumstances, such as unwed women, pregnant teenagers, or a contract workers who may be fired should their bosses found out they are pregnant, were all overlooked in such policies.

“When you think about the policies evolving around women and their pregnancies, even these tags can really only benefit those who are married with relatively enough resources to have children.”

Kim Ha-young, a 32-year-old Seoulite was once stunned by what an elderly man said to a fellow female passenger while on a bus. The woman in her 20s was sitting down with a lot of bags to carry, and did not offer her seat when an elderly lady stepped onto the vehicle. While the senior lady did not say anything, the man, who was sitting behind the young woman, started scolding her for not giving up her seat.

“Young women these days have no manners!” Kim remembered him saying, who continued to blurt out remarks that were borderline criminal for being insulting, generalizing and simply wrong.

“Oh, maybe it’s because university students sleep around these days and get pregnant. I assume she’s pregnant?” the man said. But the man’s slur went unreported, as the young woman chose to stay silent for fear of stoking even further humiliation.

Share your public transportation tales. Do you use it, or do you avoid it when you can?
Do you think this issue stems from a generational divide?

Comments

[kjc48.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's because of Canada's force "we are polite~" image, but there's noway this shit would fly here. And lol @ the "I'm pregnant" tags, people ain't shit.

It seems the problem is that the govt isn't actually enforcing the roles. If they had a subway employee jump on a cart for random inspections every few weeks people would stop the foolishness and the govt could make easy money with miscellaneous bylaw fines.

“Their values and priorities focused on basic survival and supporting themselves and their families. Life was harsh for them. While many thought it was their duty to sacrifice for their children, they didn’t get to learn about how to be tolerant of those who don’t belong to their family, or how to embrace new or different ideas.”
This is an interesting quote. (they also didn't learn to mind their own business when it comes to nagging strangers but whatever)

[jasmineakaiumi.livejournal.com]

If they had a subway employee jump on a cart for random inspections every few weeks

True. There's no penalty for violating the policy so they'll keep doing it.

[haixiao.livejournal.com]

Now that I think about it, when I was in Korea I rarely saw pregnant women or parents with children taking the subway. The only time I can remember was in Seoul and a mom was pushing her kid in a stroller on a really packed subway car and I was worried that the child was going to get crushed somehow because the car was so full.

Even on the bus, a lot of people would only give up their seats for elderly people and not for people with children. If parents could get snag a seat they always let their children have it, or had their child sit on their laps if they were small enough. Riding the bus in Korea is like riding a damn rollercoaster. I gave up my seat once to this little girl who was with her brother and her father because I could handle standing on the bus and I didn't want her to be uncomfortable during the ride. I spent most of my time in and around Busan, though, which wasn't nearly as crowded as Seoul. Public transportation is sooo crowded in Seoul and I can imagine these kind of problems arising for pregnant women so I don't blame them for taking taxis and just avoiding public transportation altogether.

edit: I also completely avoided those priority seats and I wouldn't even sit in them if they were the only seats available and there were no elderly people around. I was not trying to get yelled at on the subway, people were already looking at me enough lmao.

[921227.livejournal.com]

I feel bad for pregnant women. Like, yea old people should get to sit down, but they shouldn't be more prioritized over than others, it makes no sense. Also, people who don't give up there seats, esp younger folks that are able bodied, are garbage.

[jrt131n.livejournal.com]

That's why when I go on the bus, I try to see in the far back or get the two seats and sit by the window so I don't have to be bother to get up for anyone.

I would probably wind up cursing someone out if this happen to me. If I'm pregnant and all I want to do is sit down and rest my feet and then here comes to crusty ass person being a butthole. I'mma loose it. I get that respecting the elderly is big there but, I'm just speaking for myself.

In a perfect world they would make separate buses for the elderly so there wouldn't be anymore problems. Not sure what to do about trains.

[luvey.livejournal.com]

thanks for posting. it was an interesting read.

[freedomtrain.livejournal.com]

Idk I'm not pregnant but I have torn ligaments in both my ankles so standing really hurts after time

I rarely sit in any of the priority seating but one time it hurt so much I thought I was going to die, I sat in it and this old man yelled at me in front of everyone and all I did was cry and stand up to move away because I had no strength or willpower to argue my position. I don't look disabled so I guess no one will believe that I am/that I'm in constant pain like this.

Luckily someone else was aware of my struggle and gave up their seat, but I was so embarrassed and upset.

This all happened in Torontos TTC too. Canadian's are ~so polite~ lol

[rennehollic.livejournal.com]

Well, this doesn't surprise me that much since it happens here too.

One time on the subway I saw a man with a baby in his arms, the subway was insanely crowded. The man could hardly handle the baby in hia arms and the bags he had. I got up and gave my sit to the man so he could rest a bit. An old woman comes out of no where and sat there. I told her very politely that the sit was for the gentleman with the child. She cursed at me saying "fuck that man and the child, I'm old, I deserve this sit!" Mind that she was perfectly fine for the whole ride!
The man was nice enough, smiled and said it was perfectly fine, that he could handle it.
The witch got out of the subway on the next stop and had the nerve to shout before leaving.
I also get a fake pregnant woman everyday when I get the subway. I would usually give her my sit, but unless her baby has been in her belly for a whole year....she even takes the sit from other pregnant women who feel sorry for her
So yeah....I see a lot of rude people.

[sra-interesante.livejournal.com]

i feel this a basic manners thing .... now if elderly people don't have manners and just want seats for themselves even if they have to disturb pregnant women , sounds like they are taking advantage of their situation

here at least pregnant women and elderly people are at the same level , people give their seats but nobody is priority .... i mean if there a preg girl and an old lady both of them will get a seat

i've never seen some old person scolding a pregnant girl to have her seat

[lostnoodle0317.livejournal.com]

i can attest to this. people did't seem to pay attention to the seat allocated for pregnant women...

[wi-arae.livejournal.com]

I remember one of my colleagues in the UK was pregnant (visibly) and wearing the govt issues "Baby on Board" tag they have and it was a woman that refused to let her sit because she "chose to be pregnant". I couldn't believe it.

I can't imagine how these women must feel getting screamed at by elderly when all they want is to not exert themselves and sit. I mean, it's not like they kick people out, they just want to sit on a damn seat

[tree-star123.livejournal.com]

here old ppl, pregnant ladies & those w/ physical disabilities get priority sitting. not everyone gets up but most do.
wtf at the man who's screaming at the young lady, he obviously was sitting too so he could have gotten up instead.

are there no designated old ppl seats?

[leorizanzel.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen anyone get screamed at, but I've definitely noticed that hierarchy. I've seen the bright pink seats and 9 times out of 10, it's an older man sitting there. Generally, it's the older men that will speed towards an empty seat, even leaving the older ladies standing. There are some rude older ladies, especially in the train stations - they'll shove you out of the way if it means they can get in the car faster. I definitely avoid the priority seating because I get stared at enough as it is for having red hair; I can only take so much from these old men. :/

[fashionxxavenue.livejournal.com]

lol i always get so annoyed when i'm first in line waiting for the subway and some ahjumma pushes past and stands in front of me

[rawbabyoctopus.livejournal.com]

I have given up my seats for both the elderly and pregnant women before. It's common courtesy and basic manner. I'm sad that pregnant women are treated this way. I mean, sure we have to respect the elders but I agree, pregnant women should be prioritised and they shouldn't have to feel obliged and scolded and have to give up their seats.

[devjacaiora.livejournal.com]

the only part funny with elderly people there is when you have one seat available but like 2 or 3 elderly showing up... saw that a lot since it's the best spot in the subway when it's full. I almost always stay close to them since people are afraid to come close. It's true you don't see to many pregnant or women with child in the subway cause it's hard to found a place for them when it's full. I remember giving up my seat to a couple with their daughter of 4-5 years old the man found a place next to me and sit the little girl on his lap but the woman was still up so I gave my seat right away for her... at first she didn't want it, lol she was shy but I kept pushing it so she sit down... until the next seat next to her husband when vacant. They move and she pull me down next to her. lol

Lots of time especially when it's full and elderly doesn't have their seat and they are in the middle, nobody get up for them. I guess a lots of them believe that since it's not for elderly people they don't have to give their seat. At my first trip in Korea when a older person was coming, I was moving so they can have my seat... but still other people was jumping on my seat before they can come close enough... on my second trip I didn't took chance... I was waiting for them to be in front of me and I was getting up and wait until they sit...

Elderly people are scary in Korea... LOL they give you nasty look if they think you gonna take their seat before them... lol

[tjmok125.livejournal.com]

See Korean culture or no korean culture if an elderly person physically attcked me while pregnant, I would slap the shit out of them. Ridiculous, also I didnt find the justifications worth much like yes life was hard then yes they are old but to act disrespectful and demand respect is too big of a paradox that even a confucian society while start to tolerate but so much.

[keki7.livejournal.com]

I agree with everything you are saying. If those elderly folks are spry and wily enough to attack others I would not hesitate to give them a beat down if they pissed my pregnant ass off.

[jasmineakaiumi.livejournal.com]

I hate taking the subway in Seoul.
All the pushing, and the inevitable full-ride constant body scans from surrounding ajusshi is too much to handle.

I don't have enough appendages to count how many times I've been sexually harassed on the subway here, either.

Only take it if a bus REALLY isn't an option.

[ariellm13.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this. First off, if you don't look pregnant then people naturally won't take notice and those pregnancy tags won't really help because people aren't really checking for them. Second, I can't really be mad at an old person wanting a seat. A lot of the elderly people I see in Korea are really bent out of shape. They shouldn't be taking it out on pregnant women though. The real problem is that all of the other people who could give up their seat(students, office workers, etc), don't want to. It's that or they aren't even paying attention to the other people around them, so they don't even notice that someone else needs the seat more.

Personally, I think a big relief for public transportation would be any type of need based separation. Make specific transportation just for students or just for the elderly or both.

[iznanassi.livejournal.com]

I agree with your last part, in my city at least there are a lot of alternate buses that run at school opening/closing hours or peak hours for elderly or whatever that kind of operate as shuttles. It's great.

[iviih.livejournal.com]

Interesting. Where I live elders have their own seats, but there is always people sitting on them - and most pretend to be sleeping to not get off.

Most elders here don't get angry or start yelling - most say they don't need to sit when they do, and if no one give them a seat they stay there. They don't want to bother others. It is so sad.

When I went to Sao Paulo (biggest city in south america) my subway/bus rides took 2 hours and I was always very tired but I still offered my seat when I saw elders or pregnant ladies/carrying their baby on arms.

The elders always say "No, you don't need to, thank you" but I always insist because I know they need the seat and just don't want to bother :( my granfather is like this, when people offer a seat he refuses to, but I force him to sit because his health isn't good and he is stubborn.


My friend was a young mother, and was 3 months pregnant, she felt like fainting when stading up too much, so she took the priority line, and the grandpas looked us down and told us she was in the wrong line. She told them she was pregnant, and they were like "yeah right" ugh.

[iznanassi.livejournal.com]

This is awful to read, normally I just try to save myself the stress and sit in a place I know the people who want priority seats would not want to get to (back of the bus, elevated seats) but those places are also dangerous af so...

Public transit can be a nightmare sometimes.

[in-noctem.livejournal.com]

I like old people but (a lot of) old people on public transportation is a different story. you'll see them running towards empty seats and then suddenly acting frail when they're sitting like if you can run like that I'm sure you can stand lol and they're so rude to people who genuinely need the seats. My sister's friend got told off (she wasn't even on the priority seats) by a lady who wasn't even old?? but her friend had a knee injury and needed the seat.

I save myself the hassle and just don't sit on the priority seats even if the train is fairly empty. But of course there are nice old people who are genuinely thankful or those who give up their seats for their fellow elderly or pregnant ladies while the young ones pretend to sleep while looking out of the corner of their eyes. lol I hate taking the train.

[sirenofny.livejournal.com]

In NYC, people rarely get up for pregnant and/or elderly people. There are "priority" seats in the corners but usually they're occupied by regular people or the homeless.

During rush hour, men will hide behind their papers or pretend to sleep when elderly people or pregnant people are in front of them. Men especially will sit with their legs WIDE OPEN taking up two spaces. Someone asked them to close their legs, so they could occupy the space next to them and he complained and I said "if your balls are too big for you to close your legs, you should see a doctor" and everyone laughed but he still REFUSED to close his legs.

When I lived in Brooklyn, I had enough Hasidic men tell me to give up my seat so they could pray. After the third time, I refused and I was told I was anti-semitic. Also, I would have to go by Wall Street and you don't know how many men in business suits and briefcases would push me to get a seat or use my head as a shelf for their briefcase. But the WORST are the non-pregnant, non-elderly women who will put their purses/bags next to them when the train is busy so they could take selfies or do their makeup. If you ask them to move, they will take 10 minutes to move their stuff and when you sit down, they will invade your space.

Man, I can go on and on about people being dicks on the train. I need to relax and do some deep breathing.

[donutism.livejournal.com]

In taipei, they have quite a few priority seats and people generally leave them empty, or at least get up if they see elderly people or pregnant people. However, I had a friend from another part of taiwan come over and she sat down on a priority seat and im like um what are you doing. i think a lot of it is the way people are taught growing up.

those people that pretend like they don't see the elderly and refuse to give up their seat, those people have a special place in hell

[mlmello.livejournal.com]

I always get up when I see a pregnant woman, an elder or someone injured or with a disability standing up, even if I'm on a regular seat. ofc they need to sit more than me.

I wanted to know if elderly women also treat pregnant womem like those men on the article..

[baekpedaling.livejournal.com]

dat icon <3

[broadway-bound3.livejournal.com]

I took the subway just about every weekend while I lived in Korea and I never once sat in the priority seats at the end of the cars out of respect for not just the elderly, but anyone else those seats are meant for. I did sit in the pregnant priority seats, but if I saw a woman who I thought was pregnant I would have gotten up. The elderly in Korea have no problem pushing and shoving their way to an open seat, priority or not.

I remember seeing foreigners in those priority (in a fairly empty subway car) and elderly people giving them the stink eye but not saying anything to them. I also remember many a time being in a crowded car, having my own seat, and feeling people giving me the stink eye for not giving up my seat (and I usually did give it up unless I had been out walking around all day and close to collapsing). On the flip side, I remember one time being so exhausted and hungry that I was feeling faint on the train and an older gentleman gave his seat up for me.

[taecsex.livejournal.com]

Seoul subway story:
I had just torn my ACL and meniscus and had to ride the subway at the last minute. I'm still in a cast and crutches, so when I get on the train I lean against the side rails by the door to scope out the priority seating. There's 3 empty seats so once the door closes and everyone gets settled I go sit in one.
The old ladies sitting across the car start talking shit in Korean (bc I don't look Korean) saying "oh she probably got that cast online, faking it, foreign culture is so rude" and other shit about foreigners. Keep in mind there are still 2 empty seats...
I answered a phone call and spoke my Daegu dialect and watched their faces turn sour. Fuck those old ladies.

[goodgolly-miss.livejournal.com]

This story is so satisfying.