Dongjak District to Prevent Child Abductions and Kidnappings with 4,000 CCTVs

A Dense Safety Network:
One CCTV Camera for Every Three Students

On September 17, Dongjak District in Seoul (Mayor Park Ilha) announced that, in response to growing parental anxiety following a series of recent attempted kidnappings of elementary school students, it will fully deploy closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed throughout the district as a child crime prevention measure.

Park Ilha, mayor of Dongjak District, is inspecting the operation status of the 'Visible CCTV' installed on the side road of Sangdo 4-dong. Provided by Dongjak District.

The district plans to mobilize all 4,164 CCTV cameras currently in operation for purposes such as child protection in school zones and parking enforcement, to safeguard children. With approximately one CCTV camera for every three students within the district, Dongjak District intends to expand the use of these cameras beyond school zone traffic safety, transforming them into a real-time child crime prevention network.

In addition, the district will actively promote 1,000 emergency bells that are directly connected to the CCTV control center in case of emergencies. When pressed, these emergency bells activate warning lights and sirens, and transmit live footage to the district office and police, enabling a swift response. The district also plans to conduct a survey of CCTV needs through local schools and install additional equipment in optimal locations to eliminate crime blind spots.

The ‘Safe After-School System’ will also be strengthened. The 365 School Zone Patrol Team and the School Route Safety Support Team will continue their preventive activities, while convenience stores located along school routes will be designated as safe havens, creating a year-round safety network for children. Furthermore, the district will work in cooperation with the police and schools to enhance video patrols during commuting hours and will institutionalize joint simulation drills to raise community awareness.

The district also plans to make every effort to secure funding in next year’s main budget for expanding CCTV installations in front of schools, upgrading to intelligent surveillance equipment, and increasing the number of emergency bells.

Park Ilha, mayor of Dongjak District, stated, “We will fundamentally block crimes such as abduction and kidnapping by establishing a dense CCTV safety network,” and added, “We will continue to work closely with the police, schools, and the local community to create an environment where children can walk freely and safely.”

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