Chuncheon City to Reduce Traffic Accidents in Daily Life Zones by 20% by 2027

Chuncheon City Announces Traffic Safety Measures Aiming for 20% Reduction in Daily Life Zone Accidents
Focused Improvements for High-Accident Areas Including Onui Intersection and Palho Square
ITS-Based Signal System Overhaul to Strengthen Citizen Safety

Chuncheon City in Gangwon Province (Mayor Yook Donghan) has set a goal to reduce traffic accidents in daily life zones by 20% by 2027 and is implementing a comprehensive strategy to achieve this.

Yook Donghan, Mayor of Chuncheon, is announcing the 2026-2027 Traffic Safety Improvement Plan at the city hall briefing room on the 9th. Provided by Chuncheon City

On the 9th, Mayor Yook Donghan announced the 2026-2027 Traffic Safety Improvement Plan at the city hall briefing room. This improvement plan will be carried out in cooperation with Chuncheon Police Station, the Gangwon Regional Headquarters of the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, and the Gangwon Branch of the Korea Road Traffic Authority.

Due to a rise in accidents in daily life zones, such as the recent fatal electric scooter accident in Geodu-ri and the student pedestrian accident in front of Chuncheon Art Museum, public anxiety has increased. As a result, the city will shift its overall traffic safety policy to a "daily life zone-centered system."

According to Chuncheon City, an analysis of traffic accident data over the past three years showed that half of all accidents occurred in densely populated urban areas such as Onui Intersection, Palho Square, Gongji Intersection, and Geodu Intersection. Onui Intersection ranked first with 47 accidents, followed by Palho Square (42 accidents), Gongji Intersection (34 accidents), and Geodu Intersection (32 accidents).

Of particular note, 16 out of 50 fatal accidents involved pedestrians, and accidents involving bicycles, motorcycles, and personal mobility devices (PMs) have also increased. This highlights the urgent need for management measures that consider the commuting and school travel patterns of residents.

Accordingly, the city will prioritize improvements at the locations with the highest accident rates. At Palho Square, Onui, Hupyeong, and Toegye Intersections, the city will adjust ITS-based signal systems and upgrade related facilities.

Additionally, joint inspections with the police and relevant agencies will be institutionalized to identify and implement immediate improvement measures on site. Step-by-step improvements will also be carried out across all accident-prone areas by 2027.

To ensure pedestrian safety, the city will focus on upgrading 32 daily life zones, including child protection and senior protection zones, and will expand safety facilities such as enforcement cameras, lane guidance poles, and vehicle guidance lines.

The city will also work to foster a safety culture based on citizen participation. Traffic safety education will be provided at 150 locations, including senior centers and daycare centers, and experiential driving ability training for elderly drivers will be expanded. Furthermore, the city will activate its safety reporting platform and suggestion channels to strengthen a system for improving risk factors based on citizen reports.

Yook Donghan, Mayor of Chuncheon, is announcing the 2026-2027 Traffic Safety Improvement Plan at the city hall briefing room on the 9th. Provided by Chuncheon City

To address the root causes of accidents, the city will establish the 5th statutory traffic sector plan and carry out consulting projects to improve signal coordination at major intersections, thereby building a policy framework based on scientific analysis.

In response to the increase in accidents involving personal mobility devices and delivery motorcycles, the city will expand safety rule promotion, hold regular meetings with companies, increase the number of PM parking lots, and strengthen joint enforcement with Chuncheon Police Station to systematically manage user safety.

Mayor Yook Donghan stated, "We will make definite changes starting from locations with repeated accidents," and added, "We will rapidly improve the safety environment so that citizens can move around the city with peace of mind."