Police said Wednesday it will maintain the number of school zones on a trial run with a relaxed speed limit at night, in an about-face of its earlier announcement that it will apply the same rule across the country starting next month.
The abrupt retraction came only a day after the police said the school zone speed limit will be eased to up to 50 kilometers per hour from the current 30 kph during the night and early morning hours, and it will be applied nationwide.
"The school zone speed limit will operate in the eight designated areas in the country, as they have been on the trial run, and we will expand it in accordance with regional circumstances," the National Police Agency said.
The relaxed speed limit would be applied between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. The revision was set to go into force Friday.
The sudden reversal of the plan is likely to spark criticism the police made a hasty decision without thorough preparation.
The eight areas include Kwangwoon Elementary School in Seoul's Seongbuk district, and other elementary schools in Inchon, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, Icheon in Gyonggi Province and Yeosu in South Jeolla Province.
These areas have already been operating under the eased speed limit as a trial run.
Source: Yonhap News Agency