Oh Sehoon: "Crimes Targeting Children... We Will Explore Every Possible Solution"

On-site Meeting at Yangnam Elementary in Gwangjin
Direct Guidance on How to Use the Safety Bell
"Pledging Solutions with Police and the Office of Education"

On September 12, Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon visited Yangnam Elementary School in Jayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu to observe a demonstration of the "Elementary School Safety Bell" and pledged to come up with additional measures to ensure the safety of children on their way to and from school.

At the site, Mayor Oh also held a meeting with school officials to discuss ways to secure safety for students during their commute. More than ten people attended, including the principal of Yangnam Elementary School, parents, school security guards, child safety protectors, and a school police officer (SPO).

Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon visited Yangnam Elementary School in Jayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu on the morning of the 12th to observe the demonstration of the "Elementary School Safety Bell." Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Visiting a first-grade classroom, Mayor Oh explained to the children how to use the Elementary School Safety Bell, saying, "If you ever feel scared or sense something strange on your way to or from school, don't hesitate to press the button."

In response to a recent series of attempted child abductions and other crimes targeting children, the Seoul Metropolitan Government decided to provide the Elementary School Safety Bell to all elementary school grades. In May, the city distributed 113,000 devices to first and second graders after receiving applications from all 606 elementary schools in Seoul. With this new measure, an additional 247,000 students will receive the device, ensuring that all 360,000 elementary school students in Seoul are equipped with the Elementary School Safety Bell.

The Elementary School Safety Bell is a safety device designed to help children protect themselves in emergencies. It can be attached to a school bag like a keyring, and when the black button on the back is pressed in an emergency, it emits a sharp warning sound of over 100 decibels.

The city will also provide an additional 100,000 "Safe Help Me" devices in the second half of this year. Like a keyring, Safe Help Me is a portable safety bell that, when its button is pressed in a dangerous situation, emits a warning sound and sends an emergency alert. When a report is received, the district's control center checks the situation using the location and nearby CCTV footage, and dispatches nearby police officers. The current location and request for rescue are also sent via text message to up to five guardians.

Additionally, the city is accepting more applications for the "Safety Beacon to Protect My Store," aimed at business owners who often work alone and may find themselves in vulnerable situations. This is the second round of applications, following the first round in May, and the city plans to supply a total of 10,000 sets this year. The second round of applications will begin at 10 a.m. on the 11th. The safety beacon is a device that, when the emergency bell is pressed during a crisis, activates a flashing light and siren outside the store. The district control center receives the alert, and the police stationed at the center can request a nearby patrol car to respond.

Mayor Oh stated, "We are considering various measures, including expanding the distribution of the Elementary School Safety Bell," and added, "We will work with the police and the Office of Education to find every possible solution to protect children on their way to and from school."

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