Dongdaemun-gu Completes Safe School Commute Preparations for New Semester

Cleaning, Walking, Health, Hygiene, and 9 Other Areas of School Commute Route Environment Maintenance... Support for 50 Quarantine Personnel at 46 Elementary, Middle, and High Schools... Strengthening School Quarantine Measures

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) has completed thorough preparations to create an environment where students can attend school safely as the new semester begins.

The district has taken the lead in preparing for a safe and pleasant commute to school by conducting extensive environmental maintenance and supporting disinfection personnel around the main school routes near 49 elementary, middle, and high schools in the area.

First, since 2019, the district has been conducting year-round regular inspections centered on the Education Support Division, with close cooperation from nine related departments to create a safe commuting environment for students.

The main inspection areas include ▲cleaning (collecting trash around school routes and cracking down on illegal dumping), ▲walking (maintenance of safety facilities within school zones), ▲health (expansion and enforcement of no-smoking zones nearby), ▲sanitation (crackdown on entertainment establishments (tea houses) near school routes), and ▲other areas such as roads and parking, totaling nine categories.

In preparation for the new semester, Dongdaemun-gu completed environmental maintenance including ▲23 inspections such as new installations of Clean Keeper (CCTV) areas, ▲replacement of 18 damaged safety signs and facilities, ▲127 inspections and guidance on absolute school protection zones and no-smoking streets, and ▲32 inspections and guidance on harmful establishments (tea houses).

Additionally, the district promptly addresses persistent complaints requiring continuous management, such as illegal roadside storage and illegal parking near schools, by visiting sites as needed.

Moreover, the district secured a project budget of 1.877 billion KRW this year to promote the installation of additional safety facilities within school zones (560 million KRW), road maintenance near school routes (1.3 billion KRW), and extension and expansion of school no-smoking streets (17 million KRW) to create a safe route to school.

As in-person classes expand, Dongdaemun-gu deployed 50 disinfection personnel to 46 elementary, middle, and high schools in the area in time for the start of the semester to create a safe educational environment free from COVID-19.

This is a proactive and systematic measure to strengthen school disinfection, supporting personnel needed for disinfection and life guidance considering the difficult conditions in educational settings.

Disinfection staff assist students in maintaining daily preventive measures such as temperature checks and social distancing guidance.

Furthermore, the district plans to make every effort to ensure no gaps in school disinfection by establishing effective disinfection measures in coordination with the Office of Education.

Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, stated, “Students are precious talents who will lead future society,” and added, “We will continue to support creating a safe and pleasant educational environment to make Dongdaemun-gu a future learning city where children can study well.”