Roadways and pedestrian paths to be separated near schools... Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) to invest 14.6 billion won

[Financial News]  The Ministry of the Interior and Safety will invest 14.62 billion won in special local disaster and safety grants this year to install sidewalks around 44 elementary schools and expand traffic safety facilities at 104 locations. The move aims to reduce accident risks on children's school routes, including side roads where sidewalks and roadways are not separated.
Kim Kwang-yong, head of MOIS's Disaster and Safety Management Office, visited Songhwa Elementary School in Hwaseong City on the 18th to inspect safety management around the school.
This on-site inspection was part of the "Intensive Inspection of Hazards Around Elementary Schools," which MOIS has been conducting with relevant agencies from the 24th of last month through the 23rd of this month for the start of the new school term. The inspection covers five areas: traffic safety, food safety, hazardous environments, product safety and illegal advertisements.
Kim toured the school routes around Songhwa Elementary School, checking whether sidewalks had been installed in the child-protection zone and examining the condition of safety facilities, including safety barriers. At side roads where sidewalks and roadways are not separated, he asked on-site officials to strengthen enforcement against traffic violations and help establish a traffic culture that prioritizes pedestrians.
MOIS is providing special grants to expand safety facilities, including sidewalks and safety barriers, in child-protection zones. This year's project focuses on reducing the risk of accidents on school routes by separating spaces for vehicles and pedestrians.
Additional closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras for enforcement will be installed to prevent illegal parking and stopping that obstruct drivers' views. MOIS is also carrying out activities to promote a driving culture that prioritizes child pedestrians through the "Stop First, Let the Children Go First" campaign.
Kim also checked the hygiene of cooking equipment and school meal facilities, as well as the use-by dates of stored food. He inspected illegal advertisements around schools and the sale of children's products and children's favorite foods. For children's products, he checked the product type, use-by date and whether the national integrated certification mark (KC mark) was displayed.
Kim said, "Because school areas are places where children pass through every day, they must be safer than anywhere else."


[email protected] Lee Bo-mi Reporter