Seocho-gu, the First in the Nation to Install Speed Cameras in All School Zones: The Reason Behind It?

This Year, 134 Speed Enforcement Cameras to Be Installed in All School Zones Nationwide for the First Time... Additional Installations Planned Next Year at High-Risk Child Traffic Accident Sites

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seocho-gu (District Mayor Eunhee Jo) announced that it will complete the installation of speed enforcement cameras in all child protection zones (elementary schools, kindergartens, daycare centers, special schools, foreign schools) within the district by the end of the year.

This is the first autonomous district in the nation to have installed at least one camera in every protection zone at the fastest pace, and district officials expect it to greatly contribute to establishing a ‘slow-driving traffic culture.’

Recently, with the increase in reconstruction construction sites and many major roads in the area, there have been many voices from residents expressing great concern about children's traffic safety. In response, since 2010, speed enforcement cameras (for speeding and signal violations) that were installed mainly on arterial roads by the police have begun to be installed throughout all child protection zones in the district in cooperation with the police.

As a result, by 2019, before the enforcement of the ‘Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Crimes of Violence’ (hereinafter referred to as the Minsik Law), a total of 21 enforcement cameras were proactively installed in protection zones, which was recognized as a model case by other local governments.

Even after the law was enacted, the district accelerated installation efforts. Consequently, in 2020, budgets were allocated for installation at elementary schools (including special schools and foreign schools) and kindergartens, and in 2021, for daycare centers located in alleyways, completing the construction. This achievement reached the city’s original goal of 100% installation at elementary schools a year ahead of schedule.

In particular, there were many difficulties installing cameras around daycare centers mainly located in alleyways. There were complaints from building owners and challenges in finding appropriate installation locations.

To overcome these issues, the district closely cooperated with the local police station and continuously persuaded nearby residents, completing the installation of enforcement cameras in all protection zones within the district.

Furthermore, next year, the district plans to identify and install cameras on additional children’s commuting routes and locations with frequent child traffic accidents that are not yet designated as protection zones.

Along with this, to ensure pedestrian safety, the district introduced the ‘runway-type crosswalk’ in 2018, embedding LED guide lights on both sides of non-signalized crosswalks with frequent accidents, the first in the nation. Since its introduction in 2018, 181 locations have been completed, reducing the recurrence rate of traffic accidents to 1%, and this has become the standard in the ‘Traffic Road Marking Installation and Management Manual’ by the National Police Agency.

Seocho District Mayor Eunhee Jo said, “We plan to continuously promote the ‘Smart Traffic Safety Facility Improvement Project’ so that children can walk safely within protection zones,” and added, “Above all, we repeatedly urge drivers to comply with speed limits and traffic signals to achieve zero traffic accidents in protection zones.”

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