West Sea Coast Guard to Crack Down on Maritime Crimes and Strengthen Discipline Among Public Officials "All at Once"

Crackdown on Illegal Use of Inorganic Acids in Laver Farms
Eradicating Major Misconducts and Corruption Among Public Officials

The West Sea Coast Guard Headquarters announced on April 15 that it will strengthen activities to establish discipline among public officials, including eradicating the eight major misconducts, alongside crackdowns on maritime illegal activities such as the unlawful use of inorganic acids in laver farms.

Main Building of the West Sea Coast Guard Headquarters

The West Sea Coast Guard has formed a special crackdown team composed of the Metropolitan Investigation Unit and the investigation departments of its five affiliated police stations. From today until April 30, the team plans to strictly crack down on the illegal manufacturing, sale, and use of inorganic acids by laver farms, fishermen, and suppliers and distributors of inorganic acids.

According to relevant laws, anyone who stores or uses hazardous chemicals for the purpose of aquaculture of marine resources or to remove foreign substances from fishing gear or nets may face imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of up to 20 million won.

Additionally, the West Sea Coast Guard is revising relevant regulations to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure fairness in the operation of its policy advisory committee. The revisions include imposing term limits, clarifying grounds for appointment and dismissal, and adjusting the composition ratio to prevent overrepresentation of certain sectors, such as marine and fisheries industry employees.

Furthermore, to eradicate chronic problems such as the eight major types of misconduct—including drunk driving and abuse of authority—as well as collusive relationships, the agency is concurrently working to foster a culture of integrity by operating a reporting period for public sector misconduct.

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