By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
Seoul City will build more toilets for women as part of a series of projects designed to create a better environment for females.
``Under the `Women Friendly Seoul' project, we are going to eliminate inconveniences, anxiety and unpleasantness women feel in their daily lives,'' Cho Eun-hee, the assistant mayor for Women and Family Policy Affairs, said. ``The project will continue until the day Seoul is considered a really good place to live for females.''
The city is to put 128 billion won ($95 million) into the project this year. Cho emphasized that the plan is not a gimmick but practical policy.
First, the city will increase the number of women's toilets to close to that of their male counterparts. Currently, there are 42,348 male toilets compared to only 34,649 toilets for females. It will build 3,100 more this year and 3,800 next year.
``I hope I will no longer have to wait in a long line at public rest rooms,'' said Lee Sun-min, 25, an office worker. ``It's natural to have the same number of toilets for both sexes.''
Female-only parking areas, or ``pink parking spaces,'' will also be established in lots that can house over 30 cars up. Marked in pink lines, the female-only spaces will be located near elevators or security guards.
A ``female-friendly road,'' on whose sidewalk women can stroll without worrying about getting their high-heels stuck in crevices, is another plan. Streetlights will be improved to expand the paths to 51 kilometers by the end of the year.
Other plans on the agenda include creating more jobs for women, lowering the rates of private nurseries and creating guidelines for female-friendly apartment complexes and parks.
``I think the attempt to make the city more female-friendly is favorable. However, it's important to maintain facilities, not just build them,'' said Sung Eun-kyung, 24, a university graduate.
meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr
