JEJU WEEKLY

  • Updated 2017.7.3 11:11
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[Update] Beach season shortenedFunding crisis means Jeju and Seogwipo municipalities cannot guarantee safety following law change
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¡ã Jeju Special Self-Governing Province has announced that there will be no night bathing on Jeju’s beaches this summer. Photo by Kim Taek-su

Update: An earlier version of this article stated that no night bathing would be permitted on Jeju. After an announcement by Jeju Special Self-Governing Province on June 3, the article was updated. - Ed.

Amid a funding crisis a month before the beach season was due to open, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province has announced that beaches will open on July 1, 10 days later than 2014, when they opened in late June.

The shorter beach season at 11 beaches, running from July 1 to Aug 31, is due to budget shortfalls for safety personnel labor and training costs.

After discussions on June 3, the province finally confirmed night opening until 9pm (it was 10pm in 2014) will be restricted to four Jeju City beaches between July 18 and Aug 16: Iho, Hamdeok, Hyeopjae and Samyang (all Jeju City).

Other public beaches will open from 10am to 7pm.

Jeju Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner said that it will ensure that the two private safety personnel supplied by each village are fully supported by a key safety management control room.

Provincial authorities had initially said that no night bathing at all would be possible, but after fierce opposition from local residents and traders the clarification was made on July 3.

The problems stem from the Law on Beach Use and Management (enacted last December) which requires relevant municipal authorities to manage beach safety.

The Coast Guard fulfilled this role in previous years, but their activities will now focus on sea rescue. As a result, they sent 47 fewer safety personnel to Jeju this year, down from the 238 personnel, including 97 lifeguards, sent in 2014.

Jeju’s municipal authorities could not make up the shortfall even with a reserve fund of over 440 million won. With no supplementary funds forthcoming, maritime safety could not be guaranteed.

The scaling back of this year’s beach season contrasts with the provincial desire to actually extend it, as stated in an interview with The Jeju Weekly last July.

Tourist numbers broke records in May as 1.3 million arrived and many more are expected in June. Despite this, visitors will have to wait until July for the safety, facilities and entertainment associated with the official beach season.

Although beachgoers will not be restricted from accessing beaches before July 1, officials warn that safety cannot be guaranteed and facilities may not be available.

It is also bad news for local businesses due to lost custom at the one of the busiest times of the year.

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