Completion of Illegal Advertisement Cleanup Around Elementary Schools by the 29th
Removal of Illegal Banners, Harmful Flyers, and Old or Defective Signs in Child Protection Zones
New Semester Measures Include Parking Enforcement, Traffic Facility, and Food Safety Inspections in Child Protection Zones
Yongsan-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Park Hee-young) will complete a comprehensive cleanup of illegal advertisements around elementary schools in the area by the 29th, coinciding with the start of the school term.
The intensive crackdown, which began on the 26th of last month, was planned to create a safe and pleasant commuting environment so that students are not exposed to harmful surroundings.
The cleanup areas include 33 child protection zones within 300 meters of the main entrances of kindergartens and elementary schools, as well as educational environment protection zones within 200 meters of school boundaries.
The cleanup is being carried out through measures such as ▲cracking down on illegal installation of political banners ▲immediate removal of provocative harmful advertisements ▲operation of an automatic warning call system targeting illegal advertisements related to prostitution and loan brokerage ▲strengthening maintenance of old and poor-quality signs that pose pedestrian safety concerns.
In particular, following the revision of the Outdoor Advertising Act in January this year, child protection zones have been designated as areas where political banners are prohibited. Accordingly, businesses that have installed such banners are being asked to voluntarily remove them, and if they fail to comply, the banners will be forcibly removed.
Phone numbers listed on illegal advertisements such as mass-distributed business cards and banners related to illegal prostitution or loan brokerage are disabled by an automatic warning call system that calls the numbers at intervals ranging from 5 seconds to 20 minutes.
For old and poor-quality signs, business owners are first encouraged to voluntarily maintain them. However, in places where pedestrian safety is a concern, safety management is strengthened or immediate maintenance is enforced.
As of the 15th, the district has cleaned up 45 cases of posters, sandwich boards, and other illegal advertisements during this comprehensive cleanup.
A district official explained, “It seems that the number of illegal advertisements has significantly decreased as the cleanup team has intensified patrols.”
Park Hee-young, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, “Since March marks the start of the new school term, we wanted to pay extra attention to securing safety on school routes. Even after this cleanup is completed, we will continue crackdowns to actively remove hazards outside schools and create a pleasant walking environment.”
Meanwhile, in addition to the comprehensive cleanup of illegal advertisements, the district is also focusing on child safety in March by conducting ▲special crackdowns on illegal parking in child protection zones ▲safety inspections of traffic facilities in child protection zones ▲guidance and inspections of cooking and sales businesses around schools ▲and food poisoning prevention inspections at school and kindergarten group cafeterias.
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