Man Takes Off Shoes and Stretches Out Across Three Priority Seats for Pregnant Women; Passenger Criticizes, Calling It "Dirty"

Priority Seats Reflect Civic Awareness More Than Laws

Netizens Praise "Courage to Speak Up"

Opinions Divided Over Keeping Priority Seats Empty

A video showing a man sitting in a subway priority seat for pregnant women, taking off his shoes and stretching out his legs to occupy multiple seats, has been released and is drawing outrage online.

On the 22nd, a video titled "A Man Who Says What Needs to Be Said, Very Impressive" was uploaded to YouTube and other social media platforms. The footage shows a man sitting in a priority seat for pregnant women inside a subway car, taking off his shoes, and stretching his legs to occupy about three seats. Seeing this, another passenger approached the man and pointed out, "Don't you think others might also want to take off their shoes and stretch their legs? But we don't do that because it's a public space."

On the 22nd, a video uploaded on YouTube and other platforms showed a man sitting in a priority seat for pregnant women inside a subway car, then taking off his shoes and stretching his legs, occupying about three seats. Screenshot from SNS

The passenger went on to say, "The problem is that you are taking off your shoes, putting your feet up, and occupying three seats," and added, "Who would want to sit here after you stretched out your legs and took off your shoes? It's dirty." When the man responded, "Are you saying it's dirty?" the passenger replied, "Do you really think your feet are clean?" and emphasized the importance of observing proper etiquette when using public transportation.

Those who watched the video commented, "It couldn't have been easy to speak up to someone like that—impressive," "Basic manners should be observed in public places," "Even if it's not a priority seat for pregnant women, occupying several seats is inconsiderate," and "It's fortunate that there are people who speak up when necessary." However, some voiced different opinions, saying, "Trying to intervene directly could lead to a bigger conflict, so it may be better to notify a station employee or subway security," "I hope this video is staged," and "Do people like this really exist?"

6,286 Complaints About Priority Seats for Pregnant Women Filed Last Year

This controversy has reignited long-standing conflicts surrounding priority seats for pregnant women. Since 2013, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has operated two such seats per subway car to address low birth rates and improve mobility for pregnant women. As of the end of October 2024, there were 7,334 seats on Lines 1-8, 636 seats on Line 9, 72 seats on the Ui-Sinseol Line, and 96 seats on the Sillim Line, totaling 8,138 priority seats for pregnant women across the Seoul subway system.

Photo of a priority seat for pregnant women on the subway. Photo by Jo Yong-jun.

However, even after 10 years since the introduction of this policy, complaints at the sites continue. According to data from Seoul Metro, there were 6,286 complaints about priority seats for pregnant women filed last year—an average of 17.2 cases per day. While this is a decrease from 7,434 cases in 2021, 7,334 in 2022, and 7,086 in 2023, the number still exceeds 6,000 annually. Most of the complaints reportedly involve non-pregnant individuals occupying these seats and refusing to give them up.

The discomfort felt by pregnant women is also significant. In a survey conducted by the Planned Population Federation of Korea in October 2024 among 1,000 pregnant women and 1,000 members of the general public (a total of 2,000 people), 92.3% of pregnant women had experience using priority seats. Among them, 57.6% said they felt uncomfortable when using them. The main reason cited, at 73.1%, was "because non-pregnant people did not vacate the seat after sitting down."

'Leaving the Seats Vacant'—Public Perceptions Remain Divided

However, perceptions still differ between pregnant women and the general public regarding whether priority seats should be left vacant. In the same survey, 73.1% of the general public said "the seats should be left vacant," but only 51.1% of pregnant women agreed. Among pregnant women, 48.9% responded that "it is better to yield the seat when needed rather than leaving it vacant."

- Subway priority seat for pregnant women. Photo by Jo Yongjun.

Professional surveys also show a strong consensus for the need for priority seats for pregnant women. According to a poll conducted by Korea Research in January 2025 among 1,000 people nationwide aged 18 and older, 89% responded that priority seats for pregnant women are necessary. Furthermore, 83% believed that the policy contributes to protecting socially vulnerable groups. However, only 49% said the seats should be left vacant at all times, indicating that differences in perception between "leaving the seat vacant" and "yielding when needed" persist.

Amidst this, Seoul Metro continues to promote campaigns to spread a culture of consideration for pregnant women. In cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Planned Population Federation of Korea, and the KBS Announcers Association, Seoul Metro is conducting programs in subway stations and trains, such as pregnancy simulation experiences, public announcements, and placard promotions, to raise awareness about the importance of leaving priority seats for pregnant women vacant.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.