Despite Warnings of "Do Not Enter, You May Not Make It Out Alive"... Foreign Tourist Stranded After Unauthorized Climb on Jeju Sanbangsan

Unauthorized Climb at Restricted Sanbangsan, Jeju

Foreign Tourist in His 60s Stranded Near Cliff

Dramatic Rescue After 'SOS Email,' Now Under Investigation

Sanbangsan Search Operation. Jeju Autonomous Police

A foreign tourist in his 60s was dramatically rescued after illegally entering a restricted area of Sanbangsan Mountain in Jeju, where climbing is strictly prohibited, and becoming stranded. The tourist sent a rescue request via email. He has been charged by the police for unauthorized entry.

On May 20, the Jeju Autonomous Police announced that a 60-year-old Singaporean citizen, identified as A, is under investigation for violating the Act on the Preservation and Use of Cultural Heritage. According to the police, A is accused of climbing Sanbangsan Mountain in Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, which has been completely off-limits, at around 4:30 p.m. on May 18. It is reported that A became lost and isolated between steep cliffs while descending after reaching the summit of Sanbangsan.

'Email SOS' After Phone Fails...Rescued After Helicopter Deployment

At the time, A’s mobile phone SIM card was unable to connect to domestic networks, and the battery was nearly depleted, creating a dire situation. In response, A sent an email to the owner of the accommodation where he was staying, asking for help. Fortunately, the accommodation owner checked the email and reported the situation to emergency services (119) at around 7:10 p.m. that day.

The police and fire authorities dispatched a helicopter to carry out the rescue operation. After searching based on the mobile phone’s location coordinates, the rescue team found and rescued A at approximately 9:55 p.m., about three hours after the report was filed. It was reported that A did not suffer any major health issues.

Repeated Unauthorized Entry...Up to 2 Years in Prison or Fines Up to 20 Million Won

Sanbangsan has been designated as a restricted area since 2012—except for the Sanbanggulsa Temple trail—due to the high risk of falling rocks and accidents, as well as the need to protect its natural heritage. The restriction will be in effect until 2031.

Nevertheless, incidents caused by unauthorized entry continue to occur. In 2023, hikers who became lost in restricted areas were stranded overnight before being rescued, and there was also a case where nine individuals were caught after following illegal route information from a hiking application and climbing the mountain together.

According to the Act on the Preservation and Use of Cultural Heritage, entering a nationally designated cultural heritage area requires permission from the Director of the National Heritage Administration. Violators can face up to two years in prison or fines of up to 20 million won. The Jeju Autonomous Police urged the public to follow access control guidelines, emphasizing that each unauthorized entry requires the deployment of significant nighttime rescue personnel and equipment.

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