Seongdong-gu Promotes Conflict Resolution and Kyungdong Elementary School Commute Route Improvement Through Public-Private-Academic Cooperation

Utilizing 285㎡ of School Land for Safe Commute: New Sidewalk Construction on Kyungdong Elementary School Route, Completion Targeted for August Next Year

Meeting of the Kyungdong Elementary School Working Council

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) is set to fully launch the “Gyeongdong Elementary School School Route Improvement Project,” which had been mired in conflicts due to conflicting interests over the past three years, by resolving the issues through an unprecedented public-private-academic governance model.

The school route in front of Gyeongdong Elementary School located in Seongsu-dong is a place with heavy pedestrian traffic, including students, but it is situated in a semi-industrial area densely packed with apartments, office facilities, and commercial establishments. There is no clear separation between sidewalks and roadways, leaving it constantly exposed to safety risks.

Residents took the initiative first. In 2018, the volunteer group “Happiness Sharing Family Volunteer Group” in Seongsu-dong participated in the “Walkable Seoul Citizen Contest” and secured a citizen participation budget of 300 million KRW, marking the first step toward improving the pedestrian path at Gyeongdong Elementary School.

Subsequently, the district office took action and was selected as a target site for the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s “Safe School Routes Utilizing School Sites Project,” securing a total project budget of 700 million KRW.

However, due to the narrow road width, it became impossible to secure sidewalk space, forcing the use of land belonging to Gyeongdong Elementary School and Gyeongdong Kindergarten. This led to intensified conflicts over the reduction of learning spaces.

To resolve the conflict, the district office, Seongdong-Gwangjin Education Support Office, Gyeongdong Elementary School, and other related organizations and parents held dozens of meetings and repeated consultations.

Amid the ongoing tense standoff between creating a safe school route and concerns over infringement on the learning environment, social awareness of the importance of school route traffic safety was strengthened this year with the enforcement of the Min-sik Act. The district office also promised various supports for creating a better learning environment, leading to the beginning of consensus-building.

As a result, on October 13, a joint business agreement was signed among four institutions: the Mayor of Seongdong-gu, the Superintendent of Seongdong-Gwangjin Education Support Office (Jung Young-chul), the Principal of Gyeongdong Elementary School (Lee Joong-ryul), and the Director of Gyeongdong Kindergarten (Ko Moon-young).

Following this, a 14-member practical promotion council consisting of related organizations, local residents, and parents was launched to establish an unprecedented public-private-academic governance. On October 16, approval was obtained for the use and benefit permit of 285㎡ of school land from the Seoul Metropolitan Council, Gyeongdong Elementary School, and Gyeongdong Kindergarten.

Accordingly, the district office will proceed with the school route improvement project, aiming for completion by August 2021. The project includes constructing sidewalks, installing fences, and speed warning devices along the 190-meter-long road section with a width of 4.7 to 4.8 meters between Gyeongdong Elementary School on Seongsuil-ro 4-gil and Kumho Bestville Apartment, reinforcing facilities within the child protection zone.

School Route in Front of Gyeongdong Elementary School

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “This project is the result of three years of dedicated efforts by Seongdong-gu and local residents to ensure the safety of children since 2018. It is a meaningful model and achievement that resolved conflicts through long deliberations and collaboration among schools, kindergartens, and administrative agencies. I hope this collaborative case spreads nationwide and becomes a foundation for securing safe school routes. We will continue to do our best to create a safe school environment.”

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