Program expands from 11 schools and 5,800 students last year to 14 schools and 6,200 students this year; curriculum covers VR simulations of disasters, lifestyle hazards and water safety, CPR, fire extinguisher use and personal safety education
[The Herald Business = Park Jong-il, Senior Reporter] Seodaemun-gu (District Mayor Lee Seong-heon) is running the "2026 Outreach Children's Safety Experience Camp" for elementary school students across the district, aiming to strengthen children's ability to respond to disasters and safety emergencies.
The program is structured as hands-on experiential education so that children can build the foundations of safe behavior in daily life through repeated practice and training.
This year's camp covers all grade levels at public and private elementary schools in the district, with 6,200 students across 14 schools selected through a preliminary demand survey — up from about 5,800 students at 11 schools last year.
Sessions run approximately 80 minutes each, held between May and November according to each school's schedule, in designated spaces such as classrooms or school auditoriums.
Certified instructors deliver the curriculum using tailored lesson plans and teaching materials designed for elementary school students.
Children rotate through themed zones where they try VR-based safety simulations covering disasters, everyday hazards and water safety, and learn CPR and how to use a fire extinguisher.
Seodaemun-gu is also adding a personal safety module this year on how to respond to kidnapping and abduction attempts.
Building on last year's average satisfaction score of 99.6 points, the district expanded both the number of participants and the session length — from 60 minutes to 80 minutes.
"We expect this kind of hands-on experiential education to lay the foundation for lifelong safety habits in children," District Mayor Lee Seong-heon said.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
