Hwasun-gun to Intensify Crackdown on Illegal Spring Wild Plant Harvesting Until Next Month

[Hwasun=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Ji-woon] Jeollanam-do Hwasun-gun (Governor Gu Chung-gon) announced on the 7th that it will strengthen crackdowns on illegal harvesting and collection of forest products until next month, as the full-scale harvesting season for spring forest products begins.

Every spring, the number of visitors such as spring outing guests and hikers increases, leading to a rise in the number of people entering the mountains to collect wild vegetables.

In preparation for this, the county has launched a mobile crackdown team composed of special judicial police officers and township officials to intensify enforcement.

The mobile crackdown team will focus on cracking down on illegal harvesting and collection of forest products such as wild vegetables and medicinal herbs, unauthorized movement of pine trees infected with pine wilt disease, and littering until the 31st of next month.

The county plans to strictly punish any illegal activities detected in accordance with relevant laws.

If forest products are collected without the owner's consent, penalties of up to five years imprisonment or fines up to 50 million won will be imposed under the Forest Protection Act and the Act on the Creation and Management of Forest Resources.

A county official said, “We will continue public awareness campaigns and crackdowns to eradicate illegal activities in the forest that have been traditionally practiced. We will make every effort to eliminate illegal acts in the forest and ask for the voluntary participation of all residents.”

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