"I Am Afraid of Traffic Accidents While Commuting to School by Car…" Improving the Commuting Environment around Gwangnam Elementary School

- The ACRC convened an on-site mediation meeting on July 22, with the participation of Gwangju City and other relevant agencies, to address the collective grievances of parents of Gwangnam Elementary School in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province.

(22, July. 2025, ACRC)

The commuting environment around Gwangnam Elementary School in Jungdae-dong, Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, is expected to improve substantially.

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan) convened an on-site mediation meeting at Gwangju City Hall in Gyeonggi Province, presided over by Chairperson Ryu, with the participation of representatives of the complainants, the Mayor of Gwangju, the Superintendent of the Gwangju-Hanam Office of Education, and the head of the Traffic Division of the Gwangju Police Station. At the meeting, the ACRC agreed with relevant agencies to resolve the grievances of parents and students at Gwangnam Elementary School.

Gwangnam Elementary School was founded in 1951, and currently, 921 students are enrolled. Among them, 210 commute by school bus, and 176 by private car, with the longest commuting distance reaching up to four kilometers.

Students commuting by private car are dropped off on the road in front of the Gwangnam 1-dong Administrative Welfare Center, which lacks sidewalks and is so narrow that vehicles have difficulty passing each other, posing serious safety risks. Teachers and parents have therefore been assisting students at the site during drop-off and pick-up.

As students continued to be exposed to the risk of traffic accidents, parents filed a collective petition with the ACRC, requesting improvements to the surrounding roads to ensure a safe commuting environment.

To resolve the issue, the ACRC engaged in continuous consultations with complainants, relevant agencies, and stakeholders, and prepared the following mediation plan.

Gwangju City in Gyeonggi Province will, by December 31, 2026, proceed with the construction of an urban planning road and a village access road, ensuring separation of sidewalks and roadways; designate school zones and install traffic safety facilities such as traffic lights and speedenforcementcameras on these roads; and by June 30, 2026, improve the environment of school bus stops jointly used with regular bus stops, while establishing new stops at pick-up and drop-off points without existing bus stops in consultation with the Gwangju-Hanam Office of Education.

The Gwangju-Hanam Office of Education will, by December 31, 2026, establish separate drop-off and pick-up zones for students commuting by private car; faithfully provide school bus stop information to Gwangju City; work closely with Gwangju City to establish bus stops at pick-up and drop-off points without existing bus stops; and conduct surveys on the needs of students residing in distant areas to consider increasing the number of school buses, if necessary.

The Gwangju Police Station also pledged to actively cooperate in securing safe commuting routes, including the designation of school zones and the installation of traffic safety facilities.

ACRC Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan stated, "This mediation has created an opportunity to ensure a safer commuting environment for Gwangnam Elementary School. The ACRC will continue to strive to safeguard the safety of future generations who will lead the Republic of Korea."