Gangdong-gu Deploys 'Green Traffic Safety Guardians' to All Elementary Schools

Ensuring Children's Safety and Reducing Parents' Burden by Assigning Dedicated Traffic Safety Personnel

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) will deploy ‘Green Traffic Safety Keepers,’ who will be fully responsible for children’s traffic safety on their way to school, to all elementary schools in the district starting this March.

The Green Traffic Safety Keeper project assigns dedicated personnel to designated school routes at each elementary school to ensure traffic safety during school commutes. This initiative aims to alleviate the burden on parents who have felt pressured by volunteer activities of the Green Parents Association due to the increase in dual-income households, and to safely protect children going to school.

Since October 2019, the district has been running a pilot program of the Green Traffic Safety Keeper project at five elementary schools?Gangil, Myeongil, Seongnae, Seongil, and Cheondong?and plans to expand the program to all 26 elementary schools in the area starting this March.

The number of Green Traffic Safety Keepers will also increase from 37 to about 180. In January this year, participants will be recruited through announcements on the district website and notices at community service centers, with approximately 140 positions to be filled. However, depending on the situation at each school, if many schools operate two shifts, the final number of hires may be selected up to twice the number of positions.

The activity period will be from March to December, with keepers stationed at key pedestrian guidance points at each school. They will conduct activities such as guiding children’s walking and ensuring pedestrian safety on the routes from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., as well as reporting hazardous facilities.

Compensation will be set at the 2020 Gangdong-gu living wage level (10,520 KRW per hour).

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, “During my six years as a city council member, I served as a ‘Green Dad,’ watching over children’s safety on their way to school, and I deeply felt the burden on working parents involved in the Green Parents Association. I expect that the Green Traffic Safety Keepers will protect not only the safety of our children, who are our future and hope, but also the happiness of parents.” He added, “Most of the residents participating as Green Traffic Safety Keepers are parents full of volunteer spirit and a sense of mission, so I ask general pedestrians and drivers to actively cooperate with the signal control and guidance provided by the Green Traffic Safety Keepers.”

Gangdong-gu Office, Department of Autonomous Safety (☎3425-5154)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.