Gangbuk-gu Joint Inspection of Various Illegal Activities in Valleys During Summer Vacation Season

Gangbuk-gu to Conduct Joint Inspections and Maintenance of Various Illegal Activities in Valleys Until the End of August During the Summer Vacation Season

Illegal Activities Repeated Annually Despite Strong Crackdowns and Guidance Inspections

Targets Include Illegal Buildings in Development-Restricted Areas and Unauthorized River Occupation in Local Valleys

Joint Inspections by Related Departments Including the Parks and Greenery Division, Construction Management Division, Health and Hygiene Division, and Safety and Flood Control Division

Seoul’s Gangbuk-gu (District Mayor Lee Soon-hee) has decided to conduct joint inspections with related departments until the end of August to regulate various illegal activities in valleys and create a safe vacation culture during the peak summer season.

The main inspection items include ▲illegal facilities such as tents and platforms ▲illegal buildings and structures within development-restricted areas ▲violations of the Food Sanitation Act such as unreported business operations. In particular, valleys where illegal activities frequently occur during summer are the focus of the inspections.

The district stated that it has continuously worked to reduce the inconveniences experienced by visitors to forest valleys and rivers caused by various illegal activities occurring within the valleys.

Since 2021, 47 out of 70 illegal buildings in development-restricted areas have been demolished.

Twelve businesses illegally occupying river areas were fined compensation fees, and a survey of riverbed land status was conducted to identify additional unauthorized occupation. Among 10 unreported businesses in the valleys, six were prosecuted excluding those that voluntarily closed or have been closed for a long time.

Nevertheless, during the summer vacation season when the number of visitors increases, various illegal activities such as unauthorized occupation by tents and platforms in valleys, swimming in prohibited water play zones, and illegal dumping of trash are repeatedly occurring.

The Korea Forest Service has designated the period until the end of August as a special forest law enforcement period to intensively crack down on such illegal activities around mountainous valleys nationwide. Accordingly, Gangbuk-gu has planned inspections until August 31. To minimize maintenance omissions caused by different responsibilities among departments such as development-restricted area management and food hygiene businesses, and to avoid inconveniencing businesses due to overlapping inspections, related departments including the Construction Management Division, Parks and Greenery Division, Health and Hygiene Division, and Safety and Flood Control Division have jointly prepared an inspection plan.

For the remaining 23 illegal buildings in development-restricted areas, administrative guidance will be conducted, and communication with merchants will be pursued to encourage voluntary maintenance such as removal of unauthorized river occupation. A plan for heavy equipment to gradually remove illegal facilities will also be prepared in the second half of the year.

Additionally, as in previous years, hygiene and safety inspections of general restaurants in forest areas will be conducted during the summer. Administrative guidance will be provided for violations of the Food Sanitation Act found during inspections, and unreported businesses discovered will be prosecuted according to the Food Sanitation Act.

Furthermore, the district is also considering installing a deck road along Insucheon Stream in Ui-dong valley. Creating a deck road in this area is expected to naturally prevent the installation of illegal temporary buildings such as tents and platforms.

On June 2, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport conducted an on-site evaluation of the resident support project in development-restricted areas around Insucheon, and the decision on the deck road project will be made through a comprehensive evaluation by the committee around August.

If the project is confirmed, the district plans to promote the ‘Uiryeong Forest Village Healing Deck Road Construction Project’ starting next year.

Lee Soon-hee, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, said, “Illegal activities in valleys not only damage the natural environment but also cause inconvenience to citizens’ safety and park use. We will continue to pay close attention and work on maintaining illegal facilities.”

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