○ Gyeonggi Province announces plans to restore coastal areas on August 3.
– Crackdown on illegal rental of beach umbrellas and illegal street vendors on three beaches; removal of unauthorized facilities from 33 ports and harbors
– Crack down on illegal fishing activities and dumping of pollutants
– Implementation of waste control efforts such as collecting and processing beach trash
○ Continued elimination of illegal activities and delivery of warnings through intensive crackdowns until the end of August
○ Survey of local residents and tourists to be conducted from September regarding demand for toilet and bathing facilities; support pending

Gyeonggi Province is planning to restore its coastal areas following the success of its valley cleanup project, and has undertaken the intensive control of illegal fishing and waste disposal at beaches, ports and harbors within the province until the end of August.

At a briefing held on August 10, Agricultural & Maritime Administration Bureau Director General Kim Chung-beom said, “We will eradicate illegal activities on beaches and allow provincial residents to fully enjoy the coasts of Gyeonggi Province.” He added, “Seizing this opportunity, we will stop illegal activities and practices that have been ignored for too long and restore the cleanliness of Gyeonggi Province’s coasts.”

This initiative was undertaken in accordance with instructions from Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung. In a June SNS post titled ‘Now, it’s the Sea,’ Governor Lee said, “Following the valleys, we will return the sea to provincial residents.”

Accordingly, Gyeonggi Province plans to conduct intensive crackdowns in five fields—beaches, illegal facilities at ports and harbors, illegal fishing, and coastal garbage control—by the end of August. It will also hold meetings with residents to showcase the original image of the provincial coast to visitors.

First, Gyeonggi Province has been cracking down on illegal activities at beaches in three locations: Jebudo, Gungpyeong-ri in Hwaseong City, and Bangameori in Ansan City. The crackdown targeted illegal beach umbrella operations that charge for umbrella and site use, illegal street vendors, and excessive solicitation. The 72-field inspection was carried out in July and warnings were issued to 4 violators.

Second, the provincial government is promoting the removal of illegal facilities from four major ports and harbors, including Gungpyeonghang and Jeongokhang in Hwaseong City, Tandohang in Ansan City, Daemyunghang in Gimpo City, and Oidohang in Siheung City. The province has completed the demolition of 43 containers at Oidohang in Siheung, which had been illegally used to store fishing gear for the past 20 years, and will also remove 76 tents this month. It also plans to encourage the voluntary removal of unauthorized restaurants from Buldohang in Ansan by next year and will enforce administrative penalties for non-compliance. The port areas from which illegal facilities have been removed will be redeveloped through projects such as the “Fishing Village New Deal Project” and a local fishing port development project.

Third, the provincial government will also crack down on illegal fishing, including the catching of baby fish. A total of 980 fishing boats are registered in Gyeonggi Province, including 549 in Hwaseong City. The provincial government will scrutinize these fishing boats for illegal activities such as fishing area violations while also cracking down on illegal fishing gear storage and the sale of illegally caught fish. To monitor illegal fishing, the government also plans to operate a 30-member private monitoring center for marine resource protection. From June 29 to July 31, 417 fishing boats were inspected 48 times, uncovering 6 violations including unauthorized fishing and violation of fishing areas; 5 violators have been subjected to administrative disposition and 3 violators have been indicted.

Fourth, 94 fishing boats registered in the province, including 51 in Hwaseong City, and 3,807 water leisure equipment items will be subject to an illegal fishing crackdown, which will target the catching of baby fish, illegal sales of fish, and illegal dumping of garbage. To this end, an angling environment guard system consisting of 50 members will be launched. The government also conducted four on-site inspections from July 18 to 31 and enforced the administrative punishment of one violation of capturing standards.

Fifth, the provincial government plans to restore clean coastal environments by controlling waste dumped on the coast. The government collects approximately 1,000 metric tons of coastal garbage annually from four inhabited provincial islands, including 33 ports and harbors, as well as the islands of Gukhwado and Ippado. This year, the provincial government has formed a 31-member beach guard to conduct real-time garbage collection, and plans to increase this number to 100 next year. Approximately 573 metric tons of coastal garbage were collected from January to July.

“We will root out illegal activities by conducting joint crackdowns with Gyeonggi Province’s special judicial police, cities and counties, and the Coast Guard by the end of August,” said Agricultural & Maritime Administration Bureau Director General Kim Chung-beom. “We plan to provide full-scale support for amenities to revitalize the coasts of Gyeonggi Province, such as washrooms, bathing facilities, and disposal areas for tourists and local residents, while also intensifying our crackdown.”