Ulju County Completes Crime Prevention Urban Design Project in Daean-ri, Onyang-eup

Soboksobok Safe Village Where Residents Can Walk with Peace of Mind

Ulsan Ulju County announced on the 8th that it has created the “Soboksobok Safe Village” in Daean-ri, Onyang-eup by applying Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), making it a place where residents can walk with peace of mind.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is an urban architectural design technique that fundamentally eliminates environments that induce crime, so that residents can live in a safe urban environment and crime can be effectively prevented.

Ulju County established the “CPTED Master Plan” in 2021, which reflects the crime risk level of each town and township, and has been promoting projects based on this plan annually.

“Soboksobok” combines “pine tree” (so) and “weir” (bok), the origins of the village’s name, to convey the meaning of peace of mind quietly accumulating. To enhance the effectiveness of the project, the village’s identity was established and a logo design evoking bright colors and smiles was applied to various signs.

The target area for this project is a mixed-use zone with entertainment venues, residential areas, schools, private academies, and the Donghae Nambu Line underpass. Due to issues such as uneven lighting, desolate scenery, and dangerous routes to school, residents have felt a high level of anxiety.

Since August last year, Ulju County formed a council including local residents, Ulju Police Station, Ulsan Design-Led Manufacturing Innovation Center, and experts. Through crime data analysis, resident interviews, and on-site surveys, they developed crime prevention design solutions and invested a total of 400 million won from the county budget to complete the project this month.

To address the issues, the county improved the environment of unsafe routes, such as those near entertainment districts and elementary schools, transforming them into local landmarks. Illegal signboards from entertainment businesses attached to concrete retaining walls were removed, and the walls were covered with eco-friendly colored exterior materials and “Soboksobok Safe Village” LED channel signs, then illuminated.

On school routes where there was no separation between road and sidewalk, making them extremely dangerous, the county secured minimum pedestrian paths with coated pavement and solar-powered smart guideposts. In narrow, dark areas densely packed with studio apartments, solar-powered road studs were installed along the centerline, and illegal advertisement prevention plates with road names were attached to utility poles to help residents quickly identify their location and report crimes accurately.

Underground walkways that residents avoided at night were transformed into safe passages. LED lighting and safety signs were installed on handrails and entrance ceilings, and acrylic mirrors were attached inside to ensure visibility for quick response in emergencies.

The bleak exposed concrete of the underpass section was painted and a village safety map was installed, transforming the gateway into the village into a bright and safe space. The retaining wall of the old underpass section was also painted and equipped with safety facilities to create a walking trail.

In four dark children’s parks, bollard lights and gobo lighting that display reassuring messages such as “Haetteumi will stay with you until sunrise” were installed.

Additionally, around Onnam Elementary School and throughout Daean-ri, three LED security lights, eight gobo lights, three convex mirrors, and three CCTVs were installed to eliminate blind spots and resolve uneven lighting.

County Mayor Lee Soongul said, “With the successful completion of the CPTED project in the Daean-ri area of Onyang-eup, we expect local residents will be able to live more safely and comfortably in their daily lives. We will continue to actively promote projects in vulnerable areas to make Ulju safer.”

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