Gyeongju City Closes 4 Beaches... 65% Decrease Compared to Last Year

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Dongwook Park] Gyeongju City in Gyeongbuk announced on the 18th that the four local beaches, which had opened on the 10th of last month amid the COVID-19 situation, were closed on the 16th.

The number of visitors to the four beaches this year was recorded at 100,345, a 65% decrease compared to last year's 284,260. The prolonged rainy season and the decrease in group visitors from companies due to COVID-19 are cited as the main reasons for the sharp decline.

However, Gyeongju City explained that the camping culture, which has become popular due to the spread of COVID-19, led to a significant increase in campers using tents or vehicles compared to last year, establishing a new beach culture in the COVID era.

During the beach opening period, Gyeongju City focused on beach safety by deploying 31 safety personnel, 4 first aid workers, 16 firefighters, and 3 police officers. No safety accidents occurred.

A Gyeongju City official stated, "Even after the closure, we plan to ensure the safety of visitors by announcing the closure through promotional banners in preparation for visitors flocking due to the lingering heat, and by deploying safety personnel at each beach to frequently broadcast advisories to refrain from entering the water."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.