Changwon Coast Guard Leads 'Coastal Cleanup' for Sea Day ... Collects 5 Tons of Marine Debris

The Changwon Coast Guard in Gyeongnam conducted a marine debris collection and anti-illegal dumping campaign to mark the 31st Sea Day.

On May 14, the Changwon Coast Guard carried out a joint public-private marine cleanup activity along the intertidal zone in front of Brown Hands in Masanhappo-gu, Changwon City, collecting a total of 5 tons of marine debris.

Joint marine cleanup activities by the Changwon Coast Guard and civilian organizations in celebration of the 31st Sea Day are taking place around the morning newspaper stand area in front of Brown Hands, Masanhappo-gu, Changwon City, Gyeongnam.
[Photo by Changwon Coast Guard]

Approximately 130 people participated in the cleanup, including representatives from the Changwon Coast Guard, Masan Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries, Changwon City Hall, and Hapo District Office, as well as the Masan branch of the Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation, the Masan Bay Special Management Zone Public-Private-Academic Council, Gyeongnam branch of Korea Oil Pipeline Corporation, honorary marine environment monitors, and Songsoo Forum volunteers.

Equipped with tongs and sacks, participants meticulously searched for and collected discarded fishing nets, fishing gear, tires, plastic bags, various household waste, and even plastic fragments lodged between rocks that had washed up on the shore.

Commemorative photo of participants in the 31st Sea Day Changwon Coast Guard Civil-Government Joint Marine Cleanup Activity (above) and marine debris collected by the participants. [Photo by Changwon Coast Guard]

They also supported a practical campaign to prevent illegal dumping of marine debris and to collect discarded plastic from fishing vessels.

Sea Day was designated as a statutory commemoration on May 31, 1996, to foster the nation’s capacity to actively respond to international environmental changes as a maritime country and to emphasize the importance of the ocean and marine development.

Ok Changmook, Chief of Changwon Coast Guard in Gyeongnam, is collecting marine debris such as abandoned fishing nets washed ashore around the intertidal zone in front of Brown Hands in Masanhappo-gu, Changwon City.
[Photo by Changwon Coast Guard]

Ok Changmook, Chief of Changwon Coast Guard, stated, "Taking Sea Day as an opportunity, we will continue to lead ongoing marine environment conservation activities and strive to create a clean and safe ocean. I want to thank everyone who participated today, and I ask for the public’s continued interest and active participation in the future."

Ok Hongdae, head of the Songsoo Forum volunteer group, said, "I was happy to take part in saving and cleaning up the ocean, and I hope that this event will be held regularly so that citizens can join. In order to create a clean ocean, it’s important to manage everyday marine waste, so I hope public awareness will be raised."

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