1,300 Elementary Schools Around Gyeonggi Province Undergo Safety Inspections on Traffic, Food, and Hazardous Environment Ahead of New School Year
On the 18th, Gyeonggi Province visited Songhwa Elementary School in Byeongjeom-gu, Hwaseong City, and conducted an inspection of school surroundings' safety management together with the Ministry of Interior and Safety, Hwaseong City, and other relevant agencies.
The inspection included participation from Kim Gwang-yong, Director of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters of the Ministry of Interior and Safety, Kim Kyou-sik, Director of Gyeonggi Province's Safety Management Office, Yun Sung-jin, First Vice Mayor of Hwaseong City, and relevant organizations such as the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Korea Food and Drug Administration, and police.
The on-site inspection is part of the "New School Year Elementary School Surroundings Hazard Safety Inspection" being carried out from August 24 to September 23 around approximately 1,300 elementary schools in the province. The inspection covers five areas: traffic safety, food safety, hazardous environments, product safety, and illegal advertisements.
Participants inspected the pedestrian environment along school routes, including the operation of the Smart School Zone pedestrian safety system 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 examined the operation of child safety sentinel houses at the relevant shops. In the food safety sector, they inspected the expiration dates of food products at unmanned food vending outlets and whether children's emotional-impairing foods were being sold.
Additionally, they examined illegal banners and flyers as well as other illegal advertisements, and confirmed the hygiene management status of Songhwa Elementary School's cafeteria facilities.
The province plans to cooperate with relevant agencies including municipal and county governments, education support offices, and police to improve hazardous factors identified during this intensive inspection period, and to implement follow-up measures such as on-site guidance and corrective actions for violations.
Kim Kyou-sik, Director of the Safety Management Office, stated, "School surroundings, which children traverse daily, require careful attention to even minor hazards," and added, "We will promptly improve the hazardous factors identified on-site to create a safe commuting environment for children."