A total of 2,092 reports were received through the 'children's safety reporting system' last year. Among the reports from children under 13, 91.9% (2,668 cases) were found to be related to disasters and safety. This is more than 10 times higher than the disaster and safety-related reporting ratio (8%) of the general safety reporting system, which is primarily used by adults.
The government has determined that children can identify disaster and safety-related issues that adults tend to overlook. As a result, it has decided to expand the children's safety reporting system starting next month.
◇Children's reporting system to expand from 2,735 to 2.6 million
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 12th that it will officially open the children's safety reporting system for all children starting in March. Last year, the system was pilot-operated with 2,735 children selected as 'children's safety heroes' across 17 cities and provinces nationwide, and this year it will be expanded to all children. According to Statistics Korea, there were a total of 2,603,929 elementary school students in the country as of 2023.
The children's safety reporting system is a 'children's version' of the safety reporting system operated by the government for the public since 2014. Children can directly report various safety risks in daily life, such as heavy snow, fire, natural disasters, and traffic issues. It aims to encourage children under 13 to have a sense of safety from a young age and participate in reporting.
Last year, the reports received through the children's safety reporting system were primarily related to disasters and safety. A total of 2,902 reports were filed, with disaster and safety constituting 2,668 reports (91.9%), followed by inconveniences in daily life (136 cases, 4.7%), illegal parking (76 cases, 2.6%), and automobile and traffic violations (22 cases, 0.8%). In contrast, the safety reporting system primarily used by adults sees illegal parking (47.5%) and automobile and traffic violations (37.9%) making up 85% of the total. Disaster and safety reports accounted for only 8.1%.
◇"Traffic light obscured by branches" report leads to pruning work
The main cases reported by children through the safety reporting system often involve situations that are commonly overlooked in daily life.
Shin Yoon-woo, a 4th-grade student from Sinjoong Elementary School in Seoul, reported an obscured traffic light between trees at a crosswalk in Hongik-dong last October to the safety reporting system. He recognized that people might mistake it for a crosswalk without a traffic light and could risk an accident while trying to cross. In response, Mapo District sent personnel to the crosswalk to carry out tree pruning work.
Seo Yi-kyung, a 5th-grade student from Jihyang Elementary School in Seoul, reported a worn-out sign precariously hanging on a telephone pole whenever she passed by a convenience store in front of her school last July through the children's safety reporting system. Subsequently, Yangcheon District reinstalled the sign.
Ji Yong-gu, head of the safety improvement division at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, noted, "There are almost no prank reports from children," adding that "the reports from children are similar to those submitted by adults and mainly consist of facility improvement reports."
To increase the participation rate of the children's safety reporting system, the government plans to promote it through notices to elementary school families and electronic boards in apartment complexes. It will also encourage memberships by awarding commendations to outstanding reporters.