Gwangjin-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho is continuing his "school-front outreach" initiative into his ninth elected term, visiting schools in person to engage directly with the education community.
The program centers on field-based, community-level governance — Kim walks school commute routes alongside students and parents, listening to their concerns and inspecting pedestrian conditions and safety infrastructure.
The school-front outreach program brings the district mayor to schools during morning arrival hours to meet students, parents, and faculty, gather opinions on the educational environment and commute safety, and identify areas needing improvement. Rather than holding formal roundtables, the program focuses on walking the actual routes children use each day to spot problems and work out solutions on the ground.
The district began the current round by visiting five elementary schools when the spring semester opened in March, then launched a sequential tour of all 18 elementary schools in the district starting in June and running through the summer break. In the second semester, the program is set to expand to middle and high schools, where Kim plans to hold forums with principals, parents, and students to keep communication open with the broader education community.
During each visit, Kim walks the same route students take to school, carefully checking commute-safety infrastructure — sidewalk paving, crosswalks, pedestrian paths, safety fences, and vehicle entry and exit points. He also observes traffic flow and crossing-guard operations during arrival hours and takes feedback from parents and school officials to identify ways to improve the educational environment and address everyday inconveniences.
Alongside this, the district recently deployed 13 additional school-commute safety guides — volunteers who direct traffic and assist students on their way to school — bringing the total to 144 and reinforcing efforts to create a safer commuting environment.
The school-front outreach program traces its roots to September 2022, when it launched as a "parent and school communication outing." It was expanded and rebranded under its current name in 2023, becoming a signature initiative of the field-centered governance approach Kim championed throughout his eighth term. Now in his ninth term, Kim is carrying the program forward — visiting schools himself to hear directly from students and parents and translate their input into policy.
Feedback gathered through school visits and parent forums has already been incorporated into education-expense support projects, commute-route improvements, and expansions of traffic-safety infrastructure, producing tangible improvements that students and families can feel. Going forward, the relevant departments will promptly review suggestions collected in the field — items that can be addressed immediately will be acted on without delay, while those requiring coordination with outside agencies will be pursued in stages.
"Schools are the living spaces where children spend most of their time, so it is important not to miss even the smallest voice," Kim said. "I will keep visiting schools in person, solving the problems that students and parents actually feel one by one, and building a safe and pleasant educational environment — making Gwangjin a great place to raise children."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
