"Don't Make Plastic"... Greenpeace Members Arrested Attempting to Board LPG Carrier Ship

Mast Protest at High Altitude... Arrested After 12 Hours

Foreign members of an environmental organization who illegally boarded an LPG carrier off the coast of Incheon were arrested by the Coast Guard. They are reported to have attempted to board the vessel as part of a protest demanding a reduction in plastic production in Korea.

The Pyeongtaek Coast Guard in Gyeonggi Province apprehended four foreigners, including international activist A from Greenpeace, on charges of ship intrusion and obstruction of business on the 1st.

Foreigners climbing the ship's bow structure (mast). Provided by Pyeongtaek Coast Guard, Gyeonggi Province.

They are accused of illegally boarding an LPG carrier (2,999 tons, 17 crew members) in the waters off Ongjin-gun, Incheon, at 10:42 a.m. the previous day. They are also charged with writing on the ship with paint and climbing onto a structure about 12 meters at the bow to conduct a prolonged high-altitude protest.

The Coast Guard officers who responded to the incident persuaded A and the others, and about 12 hours after the incident, at around 10:25 p.m. the same day, succeeded in getting them down from the bow structure. Afterwards, the Coast Guard arrested A and the others on the spot and transported them to the Pyeongtaek Coast Guard Station for investigation.

The Coast Guard apprehended them within 12 hours. Photo by Yonhap News TV

The four individuals, members of the international environmental organization Greenpeace, are reported to have committed the act demanding a reduction in plastic production in Korea. In particular, they are said to have urged the conclusion of negotiations at the international plastic treaty meeting held in Busan. The Coast Guard plans to conduct a detailed investigation into their violations of domestic laws.

Meanwhile, from the 25th of last month until this day, the 5th negotiation meeting of the International Plastic Treaty was held at BEXCO in Busan. At this meeting, over 100 countries gathered to support a strong treaty including the reduction of plastic production, but they failed to agree on concluding a legally binding treaty that includes actual reductions in plastic production.

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