"Hikers Even Drinking Water from Hallasan's Baengnokdam: Illegal Trekking Must Be Eradicated"

Calls for fundamental countermeasures have been raised in the Jeju Provincial Council due to rampant illegal trekking on Hallasan Mountain, where visitors are entering the restricted Baengnokdam crater lake and even drinking the water.

Jeju Provincial Council member Park Ji-eun (Democratic Party of Korea) pointed out the reality of illegal activities on Hallasan during a meeting of the Culture, Tourism and Sports Committee at the 452nd extraordinary session of the council on July 15. She stated, "According to media reports and social media, there have been cases of people skiing on the snow-covered Hallasan and even relieving themselves."

She added, "Some have even gone as far as entering Baengnokdam to drink the water and taking dangerous photos on the cliffs."

Council member Park noted that these individuals are evading enforcement by entering the mountain at 1:00 AM to 2:00 AM, when no management personnel are stationed, watching the sunrise from the summit, taking photos, and then joining the designated trails in time for official opening hours.

She expressed particular concern, saying, "There are even cases where people descend by attaching ropes to cliffs. It is a highly dangerous situation." She warned, "This could lead to casualties due to rockfalls, and the fact that Hallasan is being damaged is also a serious issue."

She added that it is also a problem that people are openly showcasing and bragging about their illegal Hallasan climbs on social media.

Council member Park emphasized, "Currently, a fine of 200,000 won is imposed under laws such as the Natural Parks Act, but we must review various laws to ensure the strongest possible penalties are applied and establish measures to eradicate these acts."

She also strongly urged for administrative actions, such as requesting the deletion of content from social media platforms if videos of illegal activities, including those on YouTube, spread, and implementing preventive measures such as drone patrols and securing enforcement authority.

In response, Jung Geun-sik, head of the Hallasan National Park Management Office, said, "We plan to strengthen enforcement against illegal activities on Hallasan by utilizing on-site personnel, unmanned surveillance equipment, and drones."

He also stated, "We will enforce regulations using the strongest possible legal provisions and will also take measures such as filing criminal complaints when necessary."

(Photo: Provided by Jeju Provincial Council member Park Ji-eun, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.