Goheung County Shifts from Enforcement to Management in Addressing Illegally Placed Road Objects

Introduction of Performance-Based Evaluation and Award System

Goheung County in South Jeolla Province (Governor Gong Youngmin) announced on the 13th that it will move away from enforcement-focused management and instead introduce a performance-based evaluation and award system to fundamentally address the issue of illegally placed objects on roads, which threaten the safety of pedestrians. The county will implement the "Outstanding Department Award for Road Obstruction Management."

Illegally placed objects on roads have been a major cause of increased traffic accident risks, as they occupy sidewalks or block vehicle access, posing a direct safety threat to vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. The previous management approach, centered on enforcement and guidance, had structural limitations that led to repeated violations. There has been a growing call for a more effective management system.

A view of Goheung County Office.

In response, Goheung County has shifted its evaluation criteria from the number of enforcement cases to actual management outcomes that residents can experience, such as whether removal and maintenance have been completed, the level of maintained conditions, and the degree of reduction in repeat violations. The evaluation will target 16 towns and townships within the county, and outstanding areas will be selected based on a comprehensive review of both quantitative and qualitative assessments.

The quantitative evaluation will focus on detection and action records, ongoing management efforts such as regular inspections, collaboration with related organizations, and promotional activities targeting residents. The qualitative evaluation will emphasize the introduction of new management ideas that deviate from traditional enforcement methods and the potential for spreading best practices.

In particular, higher scores will be given for maintaining the improved condition after removal and minimizing recurrence, rather than simply counting the number of violations detected, to ensure responsible, field-oriented management.

An official from the county's Construction Division stated, "This award program is not about competing for numbers, but about shifting to performance-based administration that evaluates whether the improved road environment is being safely maintained." The official added, "We aim to fairly recognize the efforts of towns and townships that have worked continuously on-site, and we expect this will lead to tangible improvements in the pedestrian environment that residents can experience in their daily lives."