Korea Prevents Crime Through Environmental Design

"The Korean government first announced CPTED guidelines for architecture in the 1990s in a move to lower the crime rate. However, the guidelines were too difficult to apply at the time and the idea was put on hold.

In March 2005, the National Police Agency took up the cause anew. It formed a task force with urban planners, architects and criminologists and launched a plan to test the concept in Bucheon, Gyeonggi. Application of the guidelines was kept to a minimum and only closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, streetlights and window alarms were installed."

The government is now actively including CPTED considerations in all its planning.