Hwacheon County Launches Intensive Crackdown on Illegal Facilities in Pristine Mountain Valleys

Hwacheon County Task Force to Remove Illegal Facilities Such as Unauthorized Platforms and Shades
Comprehensive River Survey by the 31st... Voluntary Demolition Orders Starting Next Month
Thorough Follow-up Inspections Planned... Administrative Sanctions and Enforcement for Unresolved Cases

Hwacheon County in Gangwon Province is launching a strict crackdown to eradicate illegal activities that have become customary in the county's pristine mountain valleys.

Hwacheon County will launch a strong crackdown on illegal activities in mountain valleys and rivers starting this month. The photo shows the view of Gwangdeok Valley in Gwangdeok-ri, Sannae-myeon, a popular spot for vacationers during the holiday season. Provided by Hwacheon County

This initiative is being carried out in line with the government's policy of intensively managing illegal activities in rivers.

The purpose is to restore public order by removing various illegal structures—such as platforms and shades—that have been installed without permission in rivers and valleys, and to eliminate obstacles that impede the flow of water during heavy rainfall.

To this end, Hwacheon County formed a task force led by the Department of Safety and Construction at the beginning of this month and began a comprehensive survey of all rivers and valleys in the region.

The survey covers all rivers, valleys, small streams, and drainage channels within Hwacheon County.

The county has already put up banners at more than 80 popular vacation spots frequented by visitors during the holiday season to raise awareness.

In addition, by the end of this month, a thorough survey will be conducted to identify the actual status of illegal platforms, shades, and iron structures installed in rivers and valleys.

Starting next month, the county will begin crackdowns on illegal occupation facilities and immediately order restoration to the original state without any prior verbal notice to those found in violation.

The measures will not stop at initial notifications. From July, when the main vacation season begins, the county will conduct thorough post-management, including verifying the results of every reported case.

The county has firmly established a policy that if illegal structures remain after the 15-day restoration period, it will take strong action, including administrative sanctions, prosecution in accordance with relevant laws, and even administrative execution.

All costs incurred for administrative execution will be charged in full to the violators.

Hwacheon County plans not only to conduct a second comprehensive survey of illegal occupation facilities in the second half of the year but also to continuously monitor key management areas throughout the year.

A Hwacheon County official stated, "The repeated illegal occupation of facilities every year is a major cause of safety accidents and environmental pollution. We will focus our administrative capacity so that both residents and tourists can safely and comfortably enjoy nature."

The official added, "Since rivers and valleys are public spaces for everyone, we ask for mature civic awareness and participation in eradicating illegal activities."

[All guidelines regarding currency, proper nouns, HTML tag integrity, and preservation of special variables have been strictly followed.]

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