[Interview] Park Junhee, Gwanak-gu Mayor, "Creating a City Safe 365 Days a Year"

‘Establishment of Comprehensive Safety Measures for Violent Crime Prevention’... 4.5 Billion KRW This Year, Total 43.6 Billion KRW by 2027... Enhanced On-Site Patrols, Expansion of Crime Prevention Facilities, Expansion of Crime Prevention Projects, Establishment of Safety Response System

"We are doing our best together with all Gwanak-gu employees to create an environment where all residents can live safely 365 days a year."

Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, emphasized the district's efforts to create a "Safe Gwanak."

Due to recent successive violent crimes causing residents' anxiety and difficulties in the local commercial district, Gwanak-gu has established a "Comprehensive Safety Measures for Violent Crime Prevention" and is fully committed to implementing 23 detailed projects across four sectors.

Mayor Park stated, "To prepare safety measures that residents can feel, we held safety policy meetings, formed and operated a crime prevention T/F team, and established a 365 Safety Team, continuously discussing and discovering projects to formulate a comprehensive plan."

According to the comprehensive plan, the district will invest a total of 43.6 billion KRW by 2027 to strengthen on-site patrols, expand crime prevention facilities, broaden crime prevention projects, and establish a safety response system. First, 4.5 billion KRW will be urgently invested this year to concentrate all administrative efforts.

To install CCTV and security lights in vulnerable areas, a consultative body has been formed to conduct a full survey of blind spots. This year, 168 CCTV units at 90 crime prevention locations and 24 CCTV units at 12 parks and hiking trails will be installed as a priority.

On-site patrols have also been strengthened by operating joint patrol teams of civilians, government, and police, doubling the number of companions on safe return routes, and deploying regular patrol personnel. Notably, since September, 50 retired police officers forming the "Forest Path Safety Keepers" patrol major parks and Gwanaksan hiking trails (8 key parks, 7 routes totaling 18.6 km) more than three times a day. In the Sillim Intersection area, 10 patrol personnel conduct daily regular patrols until the end of the year.

Various crime prevention projects have been newly established or expanded, including increased support for safety equipment for single-person households and new self-defense special lectures. The local security council meetings have been expanded to four times a year to strengthen cooperation with related organizations.

In 2024, the focus will be on expanding infrastructure to fundamentally block criminal intent. The goals include increasing CCTV coverage across Gwanak-gu by 30%, security lights by 10%, and 100% installation of "National Point Number Signboards" along Gwanaksan forest trails. The number of newly created safe alleyways will also increase from 3 to 8.

In the mid to long term, by 2027, CCTV coverage will expand to 51% across Gwanak-gu, security lights by 20%, "National Point Number Signboards" along Gwanaksan forest trails by 350%, and a total of 37 new safe alleyways will be established.

Crime prevention projects will continue to expand. Support items for safety equipment for single-person households will increase to four types, and the number of supported households will expand to 500 annually. A QR code-based "Mental Health Screening" service will be provided to residents to identify high-risk mental illness patients and offer customized psychological counseling.

For mental illness patients at risk of self-harm or harming others, a "24-hour Mental Emergency Public Bed" will be operated. New daily life support programs for reclusive and isolated individuals and self-defense special lectures for residents will be introduced, with plans to expand the number of beneficiaries annually.

Additionally, the district plans to produce and rapidly disseminate a video on "Resident Action Guidelines for Crime Victim Prevention." The video will clearly explain action guidelines and how to use self-defense tools, aiming to improve residents' crime response capabilities and enable them to protect their own safety through public promotion and screenings at various community events and educational sessions.

Mayor Park Jun-hee said, "As the mayor, I bear a heavy responsibility and am actively implementing the comprehensive plan to restore peaceful daily life to residents. I also ask all residents to maintain continuous interest in safety to protect their precious families and themselves."