Intensive Inspection of Hazards in 5 Areas Around Elementary Schools for the New Term — August 24 to September 23
Source material is a Korean government announcement (in Korean).
From August 24 to September 23, 2026, inspections in 5 areas — traffic safety, food safety, harmful environments, product safety and illegal advertisements — are carried out around some 6,300 elementary schools nationwide, and hazards can be reported to Safety e-Report (안전신문고, www.safetyreport.go.kr), with the action taken or planned communicated within 7 days.
Key facts
| Inspection period | August 24 – September 23, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Scope | Around some 6,300 elementary schools nationwide (joint public-private inspection) |
| 5 areas | Traffic safety, food safety, harmful environments, product safety, illegal advertisements |
| How to report | Safety e-Report (안전신문고) www.safetyreport.go.kr — the responsible agency receives the report and informs the reporter of the action taken or planned within 7 days |
| Traffic safety | Inspection of facility safety management within child protection zones, focused enforcement against traffic violations such as illegal parking and stopping, speeding and running signals, and checks on illegally stacked materials and safety facilities at construction sites along school routes |
| Food safety | Management condition of school meal facilities and equipment unused during the vacation, compliance with use-by dates for ingredients, hygiene management by supplying companies, and inspection of cooking and sales establishments and unstaffed sales outlets around schools |
| Product safety | Checks on whether stationery stores, convenience stores, unstaffed stores and similar outlets sell illegal children's products without safety certification — stores where violations are found face additional inspection in October and November |
| Inquiries | Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Safety Improvement Division 044-205-4220 |
Last checked:
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (행정안전부) announced that from August 24 to September 23, 2026 it will conduct a joint public-private inspection of hazards around some 6,300 elementary schools nationwide. The inspection covers 5 areas directly linked to child safety: traffic safety, food safety, harmful environments, product safety and illegal advertisements. Anyone who finds a hazard around an elementary school, such as content marked as harmful to youth, substandard food or products without safety certification, can report it to Safety e-Report (안전신문고, www.safetyreport.go.kr), and the responsible agency receives the report and informs the reporter of the action taken or planned within 7 days.
Background — why this change
The government has inspected hazards around elementary schools ahead of the start of each school term every year. In the area of harmful environments, enforcement is carried out together with the Youth Harmful Environment Watch Group (청소년유해환경감시단), a private organization, focusing on areas around schools and busy districts where harmful establishments are concentrated, and it also includes checks on the operation of electronic cigarette vending machines within educational environment protection zones and enforcement against new and modified types of harmful establishments. In the area of illegal advertisements, aging and substandard signs along school routes are repaired, mobile advertisements that threaten traffic safety are collected as soon as they are found, and violations are addressed on the basis of the guidelines on prohibited advertisements under the Outdoor Advertisements Act (옥외광고물법) that took effect in November last year.
Summaries below are factual notes based on government announcements and primary sources — not evaluations or opinions.
FAQ
Where do I report something dangerous near a school?
If you find a hazard around an elementary school, such as content marked as harmful to youth, substandard food or products without safety certification, you can report it to Safety e-Report (안전신문고, www.safetyreport.go.kr). The responsible agency receives the report and informs the reporter of the action taken or planned within 7 days.
Which areas are inspected?
The 5 areas directly linked to child safety: traffic safety, food safety, harmful environments, product safety and illegal advertisements. The inspection runs from August 24 to September 23, 2026 around some 6,300 elementary schools nationwide as a joint public-private effort.
How many cases were found last year?
Last year a total of about 670,000 hazards were addressed through enforcement and repair, including about 450,000 illegal advertisements, about 190,000 traffic safety hazards, about 17,000 cases of harmful environments for youth, and about 16,000 cases of inadequate food and hygiene management.
Is there also guidance related to preventing missing children?
From this year, regional awareness activities to prevent the abduction and enticement of children are also being carried out, with plans to publicize safety rules for guardians and children as well as child protection systems such as advance registration for missing-child prevention.