Nowon-gu, the Nation's First to Establish a 'Child Protection Zone': What Is the Reason?

No Mandatory Enforcement for 'Child Protection Zones' Different from School Zones, Prevention Activities Crucial... First Ordinance Enacted Nationwide in 2019 and Budget Secured... Currently 89 Child Protection Zones Designated... 94 Child Safety Personnel Deployed in Cooperation with Nowon Police Station, Conducting Patrol Activities

Nowon-gu, Seoul (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it is creating child protection zones and operating child safety protection personnel, uniquely nationwide, to prevent crimes against children.

A child protection zone is an area within 500 meters from designated locations such as schools, parks, and alleys where there is concern about child-related crimes, designated by the district mayor. Unlike the ‘Children Protection Zone’ within 300 meters of school zones for traffic safety, which is mandatory, these zones lack enforceability, making preventive activities important. However, since the establishment of child protection zone provisions in the Child Welfare Act in 2008, there have been no actual cases of designation.

Accordingly, in 2019, the district enacted the Nowon-gu Child Protection Zone Operation Ordinance, the first of its kind nationwide, and initially designated three selected areas: Jeongmin School, Suam Elementary School, and Hancheon Elementary School. Currently, the number of designated zones has expanded to a total of 89 locations.

The district deploys child safety protection personnel to these zones for focused patrols. In cooperation with the Nowon Police Station, a total of 94 personnel are conducting child protection activities mainly during dismissal times this year. The number of child safety protection personnel started at 69 in 2019, increased to 75 in 2020, and has gradually expanded to 94 this year. To support this, a business agreement was signed with the Nowon Police Station in 2019 regarding the operation of child protection zones.

A total of 294 CCTVs are operating near the child protection zones. Informational signboards are installed and continuously maintained to enhance crime prevention effects. Campaigns are also conducted to raise awareness of child safety and to promote children’s rights to play and grow healthily.

Next year, additional child protection zones will be designated by collecting residents’ opinions from community service centers, schools, kindergartens, and daycare centers. Considering the annual occurrence of child crimes and the number of children using facilities, the Nowon Police Station will conduct on-site inspections followed by a designation announcement procedure.

Meanwhile, the district was recognized for its efforts in various child safety policies, including the designation and patrol activities of child protection zones, the nationwide first direct operation of a child protection specialized agency by the district, and the establishment of the nation’s only shelter exclusively for abused infants and toddlers (ages 0?7). It received the Minister of the Interior and Safety Award at the 12th Children’s Safety Awards hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in December last year.

Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “To prevent crimes against children, I believe that deploying personnel directly on-site for patrols is the most effective, which is why we have been operating child protection zones for five years.” He added, “We will continue to do our best so that children in the child-friendly city of Nowon can grow up safely and healthily as active members of society.”

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