Seongnam to Expand Timed Speed Limits in School Zones, Allowing 50 km/h Late at Night

Surveying additional locations after the three sites in Wirye
30 km/h limit to remain from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Gathering feedback from schools and residents; reviewing safety facilities and accident records

Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province, led by Mayor Shin Sang-jin, is expanding its use of timed speed limits, which raise the speed limit in child safety zones from 30 km/h to 50 km/h during late-night hours when few children are out.

A time-based speed limit zone in a child protection zone in Wirye. Provided by Seongnam City.

Under the timed speed limit system, the existing speed limit remains in effect during hours when many children are out, while the limit is relaxed at night when pedestrian traffic is light. Seongnam City first introduced the system on April 10, 2026, and is currently operating it in three child safety zones near Wirye Jungang Elementary School, Wirye Goun Elementary School and Wirye Hanbit Elementary School in Sujeong-gu.

The city plans to expand the zones, judging that the system has taken hold smoothly in the Wirye area and considering both child safety and nighttime traffic flow. It will survey roads that meet the operating standards in coordination with the police station responsible for the area, and select locations after gathering feedback from nearby schools and residents.

Eligible roads must have at least one lane in each direction, and protective barriers must be installed along key sections to separate vehicles from pedestrians. They must also have traffic safety facilities, including crosswalks, traffic signals and unmanned speed cameras. In addition, there must have been fewer than two child pedestrian traffic accidents on the road over the past three years, with no fatal accidents.

In selected zones, the speed limit will be raised to 50 km/h from midnight to 6 a.m. The existing limit of 30 km/h will remain in effect from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Speed limits for the periods from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and from 10 p.m. to midnight will be determined after reviewing traffic conditions and safety facilities at each location.

A Seongnam City official said, "The timed speed limit system in the Wirye area has taken hold smoothly, creating conditions for flexible operations that protect children while also taking traffic flow into account. We will carefully select locations to improve both safety and traffic convenience, giving due consideration to feedback from schools, residents, the police and other relevant organizations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.