Completion of Safety Environment Improvement Project Around Schools in Jongno-gu

As part of the Child-Friendly City Project... Selected as the target area for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design in the Baehwa Girls' Middle and High School area, characterized by the unique presence of girls' middle schools, high schools, and universities...

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jongno-gu (Mayor Kim Young-jong) applied Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) techniques to complete the 'Safe Environment Creation Project Around Schools' in December last year, which has received favorable reviews from local residents and students.

Since obtaining the 'UNICEF Child-Friendly City' certification in August 2017, Jongno-gu has been promoting child-friendly projects based on a four-year plan.

This safe environment creation project was also part of that initiative, targeting the area around Baehwa Girls' Middle and High Schools. Due to the unique characteristic of having a girls' middle school, girls' high school, and women's university gathered in one area, students had expressed anxiety during their commute to and from school.

Accordingly, a 'Child-Friendly Crime Prevention Environmental Design Research Service' was conducted, collecting information through workshops with students about major commuting roads, areas they usually fear, and types of fearful behaviors.

Additionally, an analysis of local crime types and crime-prone areas was also derived.

To apply the research findings on-site, the district started the safe environment creation project around Baehwa Girls' Middle and High Schools in April 2019, installing a total of 17 types of crime prevention facilities at 202 locations.

On the main commuting routes for students, road name addresses and safety bollards were installed, visibility improvements were made at the school's front and back gates, and the Sajikgol resting area was reinstalled. In the residential area behind the school, entrance door mirror sheets, blind spot reflectors, pilotis parking lot reflective sheets and sensor lights, and rooftop access prevention facilities were installed to enhance residential safety as well.

This project is meaningful in that Baehwa Girls' Middle and High School students and residents directly participated throughout the entire project, completing a resident-led crime prevention design project.

Students and residents formed a design subcommittee and held six workshops, identifying problems around the school and prioritizing solutions. They proposed ideas for problem-solving measures and, after facility installation, completed evaluations of the project, participating from start to finish.

They also suggested ideas for various campaigns and programs. Among them, they conducted the campaign 'Lock Your Door Yes! No Illegal Items on Walkways! No Smartphones While Walking!' performing role-plays and producing UCC videos, which were posted on social media.

Safety-related murals were painted on three aging walls along the commuting routes, and the Baehwa Girls' Middle and High School art club organized and signed an exhibition agreement with the Neorangnarang Gallery in the Sajikgol resting area.

Mayor Kim Young-jong stated, “We will continue to promote safe environment creation projects targeting areas around schools to establish a safe commuting environment befitting the status of UNICEF Child-Friendly City Jongno,” adding, “We will do our best to create a community where children, adolescents, women, and everyone can feel safe and comfortable.”

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