1,778 Deficiencies in School Buses for Infants and Young Children Prompt Corrective Action; Fines for Unreported Operations

[Financial News] The Ministry of Education said on the 25th that it inspected 3,089 school buses for children operating at daycare centers and kindergartens nationwide and ordered corrective action for 1,778 cases, including defects in vehicle structure and equipment. For 34 violations, including unreported operations, it imposed fines and ordered restoration to the original state.
Looking at the main findings and measures, 34 violations in total were penalized with fines and restoration orders, including 12 cases of unreported operation, 13 cases of failure to submit safe-driving records, and nine cases of failure to complete safety education. In addition, immediate corrective action was taken for 1,778 cases that did not meet standards for vehicle structure and equipment. During the inspection, officials focused on whether the child exit-check device was working properly to prevent children from being left inside the vehicle after service ended.
The joint inspection in the first half of the year was led by the Ministry of Education, with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the National Police Agency, the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, Offices of Education, and local governments participating together. Of the 20,721 school buses for children operating at daycare centers and kindergartens nationwide, 3,089 vehicles, or 14.9%, were inspected, exceeding the original target of 10%. The inspection covered 18 areas, including vehicle registration and compliance with structure and equipment standards, the presence of a guardian on board, completion of safety education, insurance coverage, and submission of safe-driving records.
The Ministry of Education plans to continue checking whether the issues identified in this inspection have been corrected, in order to strengthen the prevention of safety accidents. It also plans to carry out a joint safety inspection in the second half of the year for two months from September to October to further improve the level of safety management for school buses.
Kang Min-kyu, Director General for Early Childhood Education Policy at the Ministry of Education, said, "The safety of school buses for children begins not only with the vehicle's facilities and equipment, but also with operators, drivers, and accompanying guardians following basic safety rules every day." He added, "The Ministry of Education will thoroughly follow up on the results of the first-half inspection and, in the second half of the year, work with related agencies to carefully review safety management at the site and create a commuting environment where infants, young children, and parents can feel at ease."

[email protected] Kim Man-ki Reporter