Police Who Said They Would Raise School Zone Speed Limits... Reversed Decision in One Day

"Gradual Expansion According to the Conditions of City and Provincial Police Agencies"

The police, who announced that they would ease speed limits in school zones during nighttime hours starting from the 1st of next month, reversed their position just one day later.

On the 30th, the National Police Agency stated, "The time-based speed limit in school zones is currently being piloted at eight locations nationwide and will be expanded later according to local circumstances." This differs somewhat from the previous day's press release, which announced the full implementation of the time-based speed limit in school zones starting from the 1st of next month.

The scene in front of an elementary school in Seoul on the first day of the revised Road Traffic Act enforcement on the 21st, which includes no parking zones in child protection areas and mandates special traffic safety education for drivers who cause traffic accidents in these zones. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

Previously, the National Police Agency announced that starting from the 1st of next month, they would fully implement the 'time-based speed limit in children protection zones' that flexibly adjusts speed regulations according to the time of day, and improve traffic signal systems such as flashing signals during nighttime and signal coordination between intersections.

On arterial roads, the speed limit in school zones would be eased from 30 km/h to 40-50 km/h between 9 PM and 7 AM the next day, when children's traffic and accidents are low. Conversely, in school zones where the speed limit is 40-50 km/h, the speed limit would be tightened to 30 km/h during school commute hours.

According to the National Police Agency, the eight school zones where speed limit easing can be applied immediately from the 1st of next month are Jongam Elementary School in Seoul, Bupyeong and Samsan Elementary Schools in Incheon, Sinam Elementary School in Daegu, Songwon Elementary School in Gwangju, Daedeok Elementary School in Daejeon, Jeungpo Elementary School in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, and Sinpung Elementary School in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do. All of these locations have been piloting the time-based speed limit since last year.

Regarding this, a National Police Agency official explained, "It is planned to gradually expand nationwide according to the circumstances of each provincial police agency. After conducting on-site surveys and gathering residents' opinions for site selection, and after completing the installation of facilities such as speed limit signs, the full implementation will proceed."

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