Dangerous Diving Continues at Jeju Ports; Social Media Posts Encourage Risky Behavior

In Jeju, vacationers are suffering fatal injuries or serious harm while engaging in dangerous water activities at ports and harbors, where vessels frequently enter and exit and safety management measures are insufficient.

According to the Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters on Wednesday, July 15, a teenager was hospitalized after hitting their head on a rock while diving at Sasu Port in Jeju City at 1:12 p.m. on July 9.

Last month, four people were injured while swimming or engaging in other water activities at ports and harbors across the island. Since 2023, approximately 50 drowning incidents, including diving accidents, have occurred over the past three years, resulting in 12 deaths or disappearances.

Ports and harbors are designated as fishing port facilities, and because fishing boats and other vessels frequently enter and exit, there is a high risk of safety accidents during swimming.

While some ports and harbors have safety personnel, there are limitations to their deployment compared to beaches, making it inevitable that rescue efforts will be delayed if an accident occurs.

Starting in April next year, a strengthened Fishing Villages and Fishery Harbors Act will go into effect, making it punishable to swim in the fishing port zones of about 40 locations across the island, including Panpo Port and Wolryeong Port, where vacationers often gather. However, social media posts are appearing that seem to mock these regulations by showing people diving at these ports.

On social media, posts are encouraging such dangerous diving by claiming that "this is the last year to enjoy port diving," featuring videos of night diving at coastal facilities like ports or "Taeutgae," where people throw underwater lanterns into the water.

A Korea Coast Guard official stated, "If you dive blindly into shallow water without considering the tide, you can collide with the bottom," adding, "At night, it is dangerous because it is difficult to see the water depth or obstacles with the naked eye."

The official urged caution, saying, "Because even secluded coastal areas are being introduced as popular water activity spots on social media, there are limits to safety management," and added, "In places without safety personnel, initial response is difficult even if an accident occurs, so please refrain from diving."

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