Gwangju City Conducts Intensive Safety Inspections Near Elementary Schools

Joint Public-Private Crackdown on
Traffic, Food Safety, and Illegal Advertisements

Campaign photo of risk factor inspection in front of an elementary school in Gwangju area. Provided by Gwangju City

The Gwangju City Government announced on the 4th that, in anticipation of the new school semester, it will conduct intensive inspections and crackdowns on potential hazards around elementary schools until the 28th to prevent safety accidents involving children.

This inspection will be carried out by joint inspection teams organized by Gwangju City, local district offices, the Office of Education, and the police agency. The focus will be on the protection zones around 155 elementary schools, with intensive checks in four key areas: traffic safety, food safety, hazardous environments, and illegal advertisements.

In the area of 'traffic safety', authorities will monitor drivers for speeding, signal violations, and failure to make required stops during school commute hours. They will also inspect construction site safety near school routes, illegal obstructions and signboards that may inconvenience pedestrians or cause accidents, and aging or damaged safety facilities, all to ensure safe commuting conditions for students.

For 'food safety', inspections will target food suppliers to check expiration dates and storage conditions to prevent springtime food poisoning. The overall school meal service will also be reviewed, including the hygiene and operational status of kitchen facilities and equipment unused during the vacation period, as well as the expiration dates of stored food items.

In the 'hazardous environment' category, joint enforcement teams will target inappropriate advertisements, restrictions on youth entry and employment, and labeling of harmful substances around educational environment protection zones, aiming to foster a healthy educational environment.

Regarding 'illegal advertisements', inspections will focus on illegal ads that may be harmful to children and any advertisements that could pose safety risks. This includes checking for old or defective advertisements that could cause accidents, political banners installed in child protection zones where they are prohibited, and signs along school routes that may pose a risk of falling.

During the inspection period, the 'Children First Campaign' will also be conducted in the protection zones around elementary schools to promote a culture of adults prioritizing children's safety.

Bae Bokhwan, Director of the Citizens’ Safety Office, stated, "With the new semester starting, we will do our utmost to thoroughly inspect and prevent potential safety accidents and hazards in advance so that children can commute to and from school safely and with peace of mind."

Meanwhile, any hazards or potential dangers to children along school routes can be reported through the Safety Report App or the official website.