Gyeonggi Province Conducts Safety Inspections Around 1,300 Elementary Schools Ahead of New School Term
Gyeonggi Province visited Songhwa Elementary School in Byeongjeom-gu, Hwaseong City on the 18th and conducted a joint inspection of school safety management conditions with the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, Hwaseong City, and other related agencies.
The inspection was attended by Kim Gwang-yong, Director of the Disaster and Safety Management Bureau at the Ministry of Public Administration and Security; Kim Kyou-sik, Director of the Safety Management Division of Gyeonggi Province; Yoon Seong-jin, First Vice Mayor of Hwaseong City; and officials from related agencies including the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and police.
The on-site inspection is part of the "Back-to-School Safety Inspection for Hazardous Factors Around Elementary Schools," being conducted from August 24 to September 23 around approximately 1,300 elementary schools throughout the province. The inspection covers five areas: traffic safety, food safety, hazardous environments, product safety, and illegal advertisements.
The participants inspected the pedestrian environment of school routes, including the operation of smart school zones and pedestrian safety systems in the traffic safety sector. In the product safety sector, they verified KC certification and labeling of children's products at stationery shops near schools, and also checked the operation of these shops as designated children's safety watchdog facilities. In the food safety sector, they inspected the expiration dates of foods at unmanned food vending stations and whether foods harmful to children's well-being were being sold.
Additionally, they examined illegal banners and leaflets and other unauthorized advertisements, and confirmed the hygiene management status of the cafeteria facilities at Songhwa Elementary School.
The province plans to address risk factors identified during this intensive inspection period in cooperation with relevant agencies including municipal and provincial governments, offices of education, and police, and will implement follow-up measures such as on-site guidance and corrective actions for violations.
Kim Kyou-sik, Director of the Safety Management Division, stated, "The area around schools where children commute daily requires careful attention to even small risk factors," adding, "We will promptly address the hazardous factors identified at the site to create a trustworthy commute environment for students."