In multicultural Itaewon, Seoul launches free survival swimming for all primary grades

In Seoul’s multicultural Itaewon district, a groundbreaking public safety program has been announced: free and mandatory survival swimming lessons for all elementary school students, starting from September 1st. This initiative, which was announced by the Yongsan District office on Friday, is the first of its kind in Seoul, as it fully funds water survival training for every grade, from first to sixth.

While the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education typically only provides water safety instruction for third and fourth graders, Yongsan has amended municipal sports ordinances to cover all primary students, many of whom are from the area’s large population of foreign diplomats, expatriates, and multicultural families.

The policy is particularly relevant in Yongsan District, which is widely recognized as the global epicenter of Seoul. According to municipal demographic data, the district is home to approximately 18,000 registered foreign residents, making up around eight percent of the district’s population. This represents one of the highest concentrations of foreign residents in the entire city.