Amendment and Enforcement of the Water Leisure Safety Act... Prohibition of Non-Registered Water Leisure Equipment from a Distance

Issuance of Temporary Operation Permit Before New Inspection of Powered Water Leisure Equipment
Establishment of Business Registration Standards for Air-Inflated Fixed Tubes

Enjoying water skiing / Photo by Jang Jin-hyeong aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] The revised Water Leisure Safety Act and its subordinate regulations, aimed at ensuring public convenience and the safety of water leisure activity participants, came into effect on the 27th.

According to the Korea Coast Guard on the 28th, the revised law stipulates that water leisure activities cannot be conducted more than 10 nautical miles (approximately 18 km) away from the departure port using water leisure equipment that is not subject to registration.

This is because non-registered water leisure equipment such as non-motorized yachts, windsurfing boards, kayaks, and canoes often lack radio equipment, making them relatively vulnerable to accidents occurring during long-distance activities.

However, long-distance water leisure activities are permitted only if accompanied by a safety management vessel capable of navigating beyond the coastal area (waters within 20 nautical miles from the baseline of the territorial sea and waters designated by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries), or if activities are conducted in groups of two or more vessels (forming a flotilla), ensuring safety.

The revised law also allows for the operation of powered water leisure equipment such as personal watercraft and motorboats during test runs prior to receiving new inspections in Korea, provided that a temporary navigation permit is issued by the relevant Coast Guard station or local government. Previously, test runs required a temporary navigation inspection under the Ship Safety Act, which incurred costs and caused inconvenience.

However, the permitted navigation distance is limited to within 10 nautical miles (approximately 18 km) from the departure port, and long-distance navigation for reasons such as importing water leisure equipment other than test runs is not allowed.

Meanwhile, registration standards for businesses operating inflatable fixed tubes (such as Blob Jump and water parks), which have raised ongoing safety concerns with 33 accidents occurring over the past three years, have been established, including installation height and water depth requirements.

In particular, for 'Blob Jump,' the revised law includes compliance requirements that operators must follow, such as the number of users on the jumping platform and the deployment of lifeguards, enabling the public to use these high-risk water play equipment more safely.

Additionally, 'survival suits' will no longer be recognized as safety equipment to be worn during water leisure activities, reflecting research findings that their buoyancy is insufficient to replace life jackets or similar personal flotation devices.

However, for 'surfboards' and 'paddleboards,' due to activity restrictions caused by the buoyancy of life jackets, users are still required to wear equipment connecting the board to the ankle (board leash) instead of life jackets, as before.

A Korea Coast Guard official stated, "With the explosive growth of the water leisure population and the emergence of new leisure equipment, we are making significant efforts through research, legal revisions, and public consultations to ensure that the public can enjoy water leisure activities more safely and to contribute to the sustainable growth and development of the water leisure industry."

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