Uijeongbu Mayoral Candidate Kim Donggeun Announces Plan to Expand Student-Exclusive School Bus Service

Kim Donggeun, candidate for Mayor of Uijeongbu, has announced a pledge to expand the student-exclusive school bus service, which was initially introduced to address the commuting challenges of students in the new towns of Minrak and Gosan, to cover the entire Uijeongbu area.

Image of the campaign promise to expand student-only school bus services. Provided by candidate Donggeun Kim

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Although Minrak and Gosan new towns have been experiencing rapid population growth, there is a shortage of high schools in these areas. In contrast, schools are concentrated in the Heungseon district's old downtown, forcing students to cope with both the burden of long commutes and safety concerns.

In order to resolve these issues, candidate Kim Donggeun has continuously requested the establishment of new high schools from the Office of Education during his tenure. However, due to institutional constraints such as the single school district system, it has been difficult to achieve this goal in the short term. As a practical alternative, he introduced Uijeongbu’s first student-exclusive school bus system.

The student-only school buses are currently in operation for six high schools, including Uijeongbu High School, Uijeongbu Girls' High School, and Kyungmin High School, directly connecting Minrak and Gosan new towns with the old downtown area.

As a result, the average commute time for students has been reduced by about 30 minutes, and both morning and afternoon commute safety have been significantly improved.

Furthermore, parents have reported decreased anxiety regarding their children's commute safety, and students themselves have responded positively, noting that their ability to focus on their studies has increased thanks to the shorter commute time.

Kim Dong-geun, Mayor of Uijeongbu, who participated in the opening ceremony of the school bus exclusive for students. Photo by Candidate Kim Dong-geun

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Candidate Kim Donggeun has stated that in the ninth term of local government, he plans to further expand the student-exclusive school bus service. The current route system, which operates mainly for a few schools, will be extended to include all high schools in Uijeongbu so that even more students can benefit from the program.

Kim Donggeun said, "The student-exclusive school bus is not just transportation support, but an important safety policy that guarantees educational opportunities and alleviates parental anxiety. I will continue to do my best to create an environment where students can commute to school safely and conveniently."

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