South Korean school zone safety and speed regulation

South Korean authorities are implementing various measures to manage school zone traffic safety and speed limits. The Korean National Police Agency has moved to expand time-based speed limit relaxations, increasing limits from 30 km/h to between 40 and 50 km/h during late-night hours (midnight to 6:00 AM) at approximately 160 locations. This policy aims to reduce driver inconvenience while maintaining safety through requirements such as separated sidewalks, protective fences, and automated enforcement.

Concurrently, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Education, and the National Police Agency are intensifying safety infrastructure following an increase in child traffic accidents, which rose from 526 cases in 2024 to 927 in 2025. Authorities have identified 93 high-risk areas for upgrades, including the installation of stop signs, raised crosswalks, and reinforced fencing. These efforts follow public scrutiny regarding legal rulings in Pohang involving fatal accidents in school zones and systemic issues related to urban development and illegal parking.