Schools as ‘Sacred Enclaves’ or ‘Community Hubs’? South Korean Experiences

This chapter illustrates the South Korean perception of and policy approaches to schools from the perspective of ‘schools as community hubs’ versus ‘schools as sacred enclaves.’ It historically reviews aspiration to education and the geographical settings for it. High residential density characteristics have created superior environments for independent commutes and interactions between pupils and community members in South Korea. While planning approaches have advocated the role of schools in community building, there have been barriers, among which children’s safety is the most crucial. This chapter juxtaposes these two views by illustrating recent challenges in the removal of school fences and providing an example of community multi-functional buildings on a school site, arguing safety should be a firm pre-condition to leverage school facilities for society-wide community benefits.