▲ Danyang Paragliding
Paragliding accidents continue to occur every year in North Chungcheong Province, prompting calls for urgent safety measures to be put in place.
According to the county, at 9:50 a.m. on July 29, a paraglider carrying a tourist in their 40s, identified as A, crashed into a grassy area 2 meters below while taking off from the Dusan Paragliding Launchpad in Gagok-myeon, Danyang-gun.
The accident left A with severe injuries to the neck and other areas, and they were transported to a hospital.
The issue is that this accident occurred just two days before an international competition.
The county is hosting an international paragliding competition running from July 31 to August 6 around the Dusan and Yangbangsan launchpads, with some 200 athletes from 20 countries participating at home and abroad.
While the county maintains that the upcoming competition featuring professional athletes is unrelated to the accident, concerns over safety are growing as large-scale international events are held amid unabated paragliding accidents.
In Danyang, known as a mecca for paragliding, accidents have occurred consistently every year.
In March 2024, a paraglider flying over the Gagok-myeon area crashed from an altitude of 20 to 30 meters due to strong winds, resulting in the death of the pilot and serious injuries to a person in their 30s riding along. In October of last year, a person in their 50s and a pilot riding a paraglider crashed into a wooded mountain and were injured.
In August 2019, a paraglider pilot and a tourist encountered turbulence and became trapped in a 22,000-volt high-voltage power line about 10 meters high before being rescued.
According to the North Chungcheong Fire Headquarters, a total of 30 paragliding accidents occurred in Danyang over the past three years from 2023 to 2025.
The actual number of accidents is estimated to be even higher when including cases where victims were rescued independently and transported to hospitals without reporting to the relevant authorities.
Despite this situation, safety measures to prevent accidents remain virtually nonexistent.
The county has effectively remained passive, citing a lack of direct authority to crack down on the operation of launchpads or paragliding experience flights, while the Seoul Regional Office of Aviation conducts only one regular inspection per year.
An official from the county stated, "While we do not have direct regulatory authority over launchpads or experience flights, we are thoroughly inspecting areas where possible," adding, "We will do our best in cooperation with relevant organizations to ensure that no safety accidents occur during the competition period."
(Photo provided by Danyang County, Yonhap News)
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