What Is Left Behind Memories of Summer Nights: Illegal Acts and Disorder by Vacationers

"What remains behind the memories of hot summer nights are nothing more than the illegal acts and disorder of vacationers. I hope people can enjoy their summer getaways while respecting the boundaries that must be maintained."

On the morning of the 19th, as the peak summer vacation season draws to a close, Sokcho Beach in Gangwon Province was quiet, contrasting with its bustling daytime atmosphere.

While citizens and vacationers taking morning strolls amid the sound of waves stood out, evidence of overnight use was easily spotted throughout the area.

Beverage bottles, disposable cups, and snack packages were scattered across the sandy beach and pine forest near the beach.

It appeared that someone had left them behind after eating and drinking during the early morning hours.

While areas heavily frequented by people were relatively well-cleaned and organized, entering more secluded spots revealed traces of overnight stays one by one.

"Whenever I see the beach in the morning, I can tell what people did at night."

A citizen walking along the beach early in the morning said this while pointing at the sand.

"During the day, management staff patrol around and there are many vacationers, so you don't see things like this often," the citizen said. "At night or in the early morning after people leave, the atmosphere seems to change completely."

Various illegal and disorderly acts have been frequently witnessed around Sokcho Beach during the vacation season.

A prime example is the illegal dumping of trash on the sandy beach.

While trash collection and cleanup are carried out relatively quickly during the day when vacationers are concentrated, garbage discarded overnight remains in various places near the beach until the early hours of the next morning, marring the scenery of the beach.

Particularly in less frequented sections or around facilities, traces presumed to be left by visitors who ate and drank and walked away without cleaning up are easily found.

There were even cases where trash was dumped directly onto the sand despite garbage cans being located nearby.

One citizen raised their voice, saying, "There are garbage cans just a short walk away, and I don't understand why people deliberately leave trash on the sand. Isn't it basic to clean up the space you used after enjoying yourself?"

Trash is not the only problem.

Earlier this month, some vacationers were spotted setting up tents and mats to rest in the pine forest near Sokcho Beach.

This involved spreading mats under the pine shade or staying with tents set up.

Banners prohibiting such illegal activities were hung throughout the pine forest, but they were ignored.

While enforcement officers typically monitor from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, enforcement can be vulnerable outside of these hours.

During the day, many people passing by make violations easily noticeable, but the situation changes at night.

On the morning of last weekend, activities presumed to be camping inside the stage facilities set up on the beach were also witnessed.

The stage facilities are spaces prepared for vacationers to enjoy performances or events, and activities such as camping are prohibited.

However, some people have been using this space like accommodation.

A citizen who takes a walk on the beach every morning said, "At night, people drink and hang out, and sometimes they pitch tents or spread out mats. When morning comes, some clean up, but others leave things behind."

Although management personnel are deployed during the beach operation period to prevent safety accidents and maintain order, there are practical limitations to closely managing the entire wide beach 24 hours a day.

In particular, from late night when vacationers leave until early morning, gaps in on-site management easily occur compared to daytime.

Taking advantage of this gap, some vacationers repeatedly enter restricted areas, camp, and leave trash behind after eating and drinking.

One citizen said, "Many tourists visit Sokcho Beach on purpose from out of town, and it is upsetting to see this kind of scenery in the morning. To the person throwing away a single piece of trash, it might not seem like a big deal, but when those accumulate, the entire beach becomes messy."

Another citizen pointed out, "As there are many tourists, we can endure a certain level of inconvenience, but we must observe the boundaries. Especially secretly pitching tents at night or using facilities as lodging spaces can cause harm to other vacationers."


In addition, activities that can threaten the safety of other vacationers, such as firecracker play, can be frequently observed in Sokcho and Gyeongpo in Gangneung.

While a large influx of tourists since the opening of the beaches brings vitality to the local commercial district, the increase in users also brings growing management issues, such as littering and nighttime disorder.

Above all, critics point out that management methods need supplementation given that a significant portion of illegal and disorderly acts confirmed on-site occur during late nights or early mornings rather than the daytime when management personnel are intensively active.

The vicious cycle where beaches that are orderly during the day turn into playgrounds for users overnight, leaving those traces intact by morning, must be broken.

As a single disposable cup left behind by someone, a single mat spread out on the sand, and a single tent set up among pine trees accumulate, the order of the beach that all vacationers must share is gradually collapsing.


(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.