Buk-gu Gwangju Receives 'D Grade' for Traffic Safety... Lowest Among Five Districts

Shin Jeonghun Stresses Urgent Need for Pedestrian Policies and Measures for Vulnerable Groups

The level of traffic safety and traffic culture in Buk-gu, Gwangju has been found to fall short of the national average.

According to the Buk-gu Council on June 24, Shin Jeonghun, a councilor from the Democratic Party of Korea, urged for countermeasures during a recent administrative audit by the Safety and Urban Affairs Committee, pointing out that most related indicators remain at the lower end of the rankings.

Shin Jeonghun, Gwangju Bukgu Councilor.

Councilor Shin stated, "As of 2023, Buk-gu's traffic safety index for vulnerable road users was 75.88 points, earning a D grade, which places it in the bottom 25% nationwide. The traffic culture index was also 78.72 points, the lowest among the five autonomous districts in Gwangju, indicating that the district is severely lacking in mobility rights and safety."

He went on to say, "It is necessary to establish pedestrian-centered traffic policies, strengthen driver education, and expand traffic safety infrastructure. In particular, there is an urgent need to improve the pedestrian environment and implement protection measures for vulnerable groups in children's protection zones and areas with a high concentration of elderly residents."

Councilor Shin also emphasized the need to introduce support programs that residents can directly benefit from, such as providing taxi vouchers, and to implement tailored policies and budget execution to improve the traffic safety index.