Suwon Gaon Elementary School Launches 'Abduction Prevention Walking-to-School Campaign' on Child Abuse Prevention Day

[News S=Reporter Lee Min-jung] {"\"A familiar car appears in front of the school. A stranger says, 'Your parents are busy, so I came to pick you up as your aunt.' What would you do in this situation?\""}

Suwon Gaon Elementary School (Principal Kim Jae-young) is drawing attention by launching an 'Abduction Prevention Walking-to-School Campaign' on November 19, Child Abuse Prevention Day.

When asked quiz questions seeking children's opinions that day, five students selected "I would get in because it's the car my parents usually drive, even though the aunt is unfamiliar," while approximately 70 students chose "I would not get in because the person is a stranger and would instead contact my parents or nearby adults."

Gaon Elementary planned this campaign in response to an attempted abduction incident near an elementary school in Seoul in September when someone offered to take a child home, and the fact that over 300 cases of abduction, attempted abduction, and inducement targeting children have occurred this year alone. The school sought to strengthen children's safety awareness and raise awareness about the increasing trend of child abduction incidents in society.

The campaign, organized by students from the school's 'Suwon Aetong-tong Gaon Dream Volunteer Group,' began with students participating in an "interactive safety quiz" on their way to school based on actual cases of attempted abduction that have occurred throughout the country.

The safety quiz, which involved selecting the correct response method for each scenario and marking it with a sticker, received positive evaluation as it provided students with experience-centered safety education to examine their own judgment.

The safety quiz also included another question: {"\"On your way home, an adult asks for help, saying, 'If you come with me and make just one phone call, I'll give you 100,000 won. What would you do in this situation?'\""} Most students wisely chose to mark that they would refuse by saying they don't have a phone and go straight home without being tempted by money.

A fifth-grade student, Kim Mo, who participated in the quiz, shared her impressions: "By recalling the situations presented in the quiz, I better understand how I should act."

Gaon Elementary also conducted a 'Letter-Writing Program: Warm Words of Love and Encouragement' in cooperation with families to spread messages of child abuse prevention.

Letters written by parents will be delivered to students in classrooms, and the school plans to help students experience emotional stability and the feeling of being protected through this program.

One parent shared her impressions: "It was meaningful to convey warm words to my child through a letter that I couldn't express in our busy daily life. It was an activity that made me realize again that expressing love to children helps prevent child abuse."

Principal Kim Jae-young stated, "Child abuse and abduction prevention are more effective when school and family work together. We will continue to implement diverse educational activities to help students develop the safety competencies to protect themselves."

Gaon Elementary plans to continue implementing various educational activities and prevention campaigns so that students can detect danger on their own and act safely.