Major Corporations S and H Estimated... Gathering Every Lunch Break Right in Front of the School for 'Bbeogeum'

Corporate Employees Smoking in Front of School for 4 Years
Ignoring No-Smoking Banners... Residents Frustrated
Police Joining Employees in Smoking During Crackdown

Employees of large corporations have been criticized for coming to the front of an elementary school to smoke every lunch break for the past four years.

Adults smoking between Jamsil Middle School and Jamdong Elementary School.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 13th, Yonhap News reported that adults, presumed to be employees of nearby large corporations, smoke cigarettes every lunch break in the alley between Jamsil Middle School and Jamdong Elementary School located in Sincheon-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, causing harm. Health authorities and residents lamented that this behavior has been ongoing for four years. The main culprits of this thoughtless act are believed to be employees working at large corporations such as S Corp., H Corp., C Corp., P Corp., and K Industrial Complex located opposite the school.

There are five banners stating "No Smoking Zone in Front of School" where they smoke. Even though students pass by, the smokers ignore them and smoke while chatting with colleagues. Some smokers boldly wore their employee ID cards around their necks, and police officers on patrol were even caught smoking with employees in front of the school.

Resident A said, "The district office cracks down only temporarily, and within less than a week, they come back to smoke again," adding, "They even smoke while greeting students with 'Study hard.' I don't know what the children will see and learn." Another resident B pointed out, "They smoke with their company ID cards hanging around their necks as if it’s something to be proud of," and added, "They seem unaware that smoking in front of children is shameful. If they saw the banners, they would surely know their behavior is wrong, so I don’t understand why they don’t correct it." B also said that the companies should manage their employees.

Meanwhile, the entire elementary school campus is a no-smoking zone, and although the area near elementary schools varies by local government, it is generally designated as a no-smoking zone within 50 meters from the school gate. Smoking in public facilities designated as no-smoking zones results in a fine of 100,000 won under the National Health Promotion Act.

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