"Three out of Five Drowning Accidents in National Parks During Summer Occur at Coastal 'Haerujil' Sites"

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[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] The Korea National Park Service under the Ministry of Environment announced on the 14th that during the summer vacation season, safety and quarantine rules must be strictly followed when playing in the water at major beaches and valleys in national parks, and especially coastal haerujil is the most dangerous. Haerujil is a dialect term from the Chungcheong Province region referring to the act of collecting shellfish or other marine products from mudflats or beaches when the tide is out.

An analysis of five drowning accidents that occurred in national parks during summer vacation periods (July-August) over the past five years (2016-2020) by the Korea National Park Service showed that drowning caused by coastal haerujil accounted for 3 cases (60%), the highest number. This was followed by 2 cases (40%) of drowning while playing in water in restricted valley areas.

Coastal haerujil is dangerous because it is mainly done at night or early dawn when fog often occurs. Most drowning cases happen when people get caught in tidal channels during high tide. Deaths from water play in valleys occurred in restricted areas due to drowning after swimming under the influence of alcohol or cardiac arrest caused by cold valley water.

For safe water play during summer, abstaining from alcohol, warming up beforehand, and strictly following basic safety and quarantine rules are essential. The water temperature in valleys within national parks is low and the depth is uncertain. Some sections have whirlpools, so water play should be limited to shallow areas near the edges of valleys. For beaches (bathing beaches), information about hazards such as tidal pools, rip currents, tidal channels, and the timing of high and low tides should be checked in advance. Sudden heavy rain or showers can occur in mountainous terrain during summer, so weather conditions must be carefully monitored. If weather warnings such as heavy rain advisories are issued, water play must be stopped immediately and control measures followed actively.

Song Hyung-geun, Director of the Korea National Park Service, said, "To have a safe and enjoyable vacation in national parks, water play should only be done in designated areas," and added, "Basic safety rules such as not playing in water after drinking alcohol and wearing safety equipment like life jackets must be strictly observed."

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