Yongseon Park of Gyeongbuk Provincial Assembly: "Children's Protection Zones Remain at 6 Closed Schools"

Pointed Out During Administrative Audit
Calls for Correction of Budget Waste and Inefficiency

On November 20, concerns were raised regarding administrative inefficiency and budget waste after it was discovered that, in the Gyeongbuk region, children’s protection zones and unmanned enforcement equipment remained in place even after elementary schools and kindergartens had been closed.

Yongseon Park, a member of the Education Committee of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Assembly (People Power Party, Pohang), repeatedly pointed out this issue during the 2025 administrative audit of the Gyeongbuk Office of Education, stating, “Maintaining a children’s protection zone where there are no children does not align with the purpose of the system.”

Yongseon Park, Gyeongbuk Provincial Assembly Member

Assemblyman Park said, “There are places where protection zone signs and unmanned enforcement equipment continue to operate even though there is no student traffic after the school has closed,” adding, “This means enforcement is being carried out in areas where protection is unnecessary, and the budget continues to be spent.”

He further emphasized, “While a children’s protection zone is typically set within a 300-meter radius of a school and can be extended up to 500 meters, the zone should be readjusted if the school no longer serves its function.”

According to data submitted by the Gyeongbuk Office of Education, as of the first half of 2025, out of 188 closed schools in the province, children’s protection zones had been lifted at 182, but 6 schools still retained the designation.

In particular, Assemblyman Park pointed out, “In some areas, after a school is closed, only the ‘school site’ designation remains and the area is merely fenced off. This is a typical example of a lack of coordination between urban planning and educational administration,” adding, “For regions where complaints are repeatedly raised, priority maintenance procedures are necessary.”

He stated, “Reviewing the situation on-site and reorganizing it into an efficient and rational system is the way to maintain the trust of the residents.”

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