As the new semester starts and COVID-19 calms down, “Daehak-ro” is more vibrant than ever. The “Avenue of Youth,” which runs from exits 1 and 3 of Pusan National University (PNU) station to the main gate of PNU, the representative university district in Busan, is no exception. On "Busan Daehak-ro 50beon-Gil," which is the so-called “Pub Street,” there was anxiety about “public safety” along with the rejuvenated mood.

The “Pub Street,” which Channel PNU visited every day from March 6th to 15th at around 1 am, seemed unstable due to many drunk people. The studio apartment complex near PNU was so dark that it reminded us of a crime-ridden zone, and some people committed misdemeanors. Traveling around “Daehak-ro” in March, “Channel PNU” grasped the security situation of “Busan Daehak-ro” and asked the opinions of the students through questionnaires.

According to a survey of 151 PNU students conducted by “Channel PNU” from March 10th to 20th, 43.3% said they did not feel safe on pub street. The main reason for this was “people who were drunk and delinquent (90.9%).” In particular, serious safety concerns existed about people lying in drunken stupors on the streets. A respondent said, "Students often lie in the streets, so we need patrol personnel to get them home safely." Jung Chi-Woo (Dept. of Political Science & Diplomacy, 22), who said he often visits pub street, said, “Since the new semester started, more and more people have come to pub street. Many students are drunk and fall, so I am worried about their safety.

The studio apartment complex near PNU seems similar. When asked which one of the studio apartment areas was most vulnerable to crime, the students answered that it was the side gate (42%), the north gate (36%), and the area around PNU station and Jangjeon station (32%). They also said that the studio apartment area near the north gate and the side gate of PNU was reminiscent of a crime-ridden area due to dark streets and drunk people. It was expected that streetlights were not turned on and few people would pass by, making it vulnerable to crime. The reasons for not being safe from crime were darkness and narrow alleys (66%), drunken people and delinquent behavior (48%), stalking and various crime risks (16%). Student A (Dept. of Sociology, 21), who lives near the side gate alone, said, "When I studied during the exam period and left school late, I was often scared because it was dark and people did not pass by much. When I passed through a dark street, I felt afraid when I heard a strange sound or someone else followed me."

Groups that commit misconduct and the risk of crime have also been blamed for threatening public safety. Student B (Dept. of Psychology, 21), who lives near the North Gate alone, said, “I often see people in a group near the studio apartments complex on the way to and from school, and I sometimes feel the risk of crime.” Respondents also complained about anxiety about a group of people smoking in a dark alley. A respondent said an unidentified person had followed him in front of the studio apartment.

To strengthen the security of “Busan Daehak-ro,” students answered that it is necessary to strengthen patrols (32.5%), improve the environment of crime-vulnerable areas (29.1%), and install crime prevention facilities (27.8%). It is urgent to improve the old facilities of the streets and create a bright atmosphere. Student A said, "The additional installation of streetlights seems to be a priority, but complaints are expected if it is excessively bright."

Police said they are aware of the situation and endeavor to minimize students’ concerns. Ok Yeong-No, chief of the Jangjeon Patrol Division, said, “The area around PNU is the area of most concern in this Patrol Division.” He added, “We are conducting patrols in alleys of PNU’s studio apartment complex, which many students pass by. In connection with the Geumjeong-gu Office Control Center, which operates 24-hour CCTV, we are always on standby so that the police can be dispatched immediately in case of an incident.”

Reporter Jo Seung-Wan

Translated by Kwon Eun-Ji