21 Kindergartens and 6 Elementary Schools Closed, but School Zones Remain... Gyeongbuk Office of Education Vows Removal by Year-End

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education (Superintendent Lim Jong-sik) announced on November 27, 2025, that it will promptly proceed with the removal of school zones around closed schools, in response to the issue raised during the 2025 Gyeongbuk Provincial Council administrative audit regarding the maintenance of school zones near closed schools.

During the administrative audit, it was pointed out that school zone signs and unmanned enforcement equipment remain in operation around closed schools, even though no children are commuting to these areas. Concerns were raised that this leads to administrative inefficiency and unnecessary budget expenditures.

School Zone in Front of Closed School

According to a comprehensive inspection conducted by the Gyeongbuk Office of Education, there are currently 27 closed schools-21 kindergartens and 6 elementary schools-where school zones are still designated.

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education has immediately issued official documents to the schools managing the closed sites and to the relevant local governments to ensure that the process of removing the school zones proceeds without delay. Each school will formally request the removal of the school zone to the local government, which will make the final decision in accordance with the relevant legal procedures.

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education aims to resolve 100% of cases where school zones have not yet been removed by the end of this year and plans to closely cooperate with local governments to ensure the administrative process is completed swiftly.

Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of the Gyeongbuk Office of Education, stated, "Maintaining school zones in areas where schools have been closed can cause inconvenience for residents and result in unnecessary administrative costs. We will work together with local governments to expedite the removal process and establish a foundation for efficient educational administration."

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