Illegal Containers and Tents Removed at Oido Port... Transformed into a Rest Area for Residents

[Asia Economy (Siheung) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province removed all 76 illegal commercial tents at Oido Port in Siheung City on the 12th. This is the second action following the removal of 43 illegal containers at the site on the 27th of last month.

Previously, the province, Siheung City, and the Oido Fishing Village Association reached a consensus on port maintenance and agreed on voluntary removal.

The cleared port site will be developed into a space where residents can relax through the Fishing Village New Deal project.

Additionally, the seafood direct sales center will be relocated to the site of the removed containers and will reopen in September with a clean appearance. Siheung City has decided to grant port occupancy permits for the site to facilitate this.

Oido Port in Siheung was selected as a target site for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' Fishing Village New Deal 300 project last year, and in February, it was designated and announced as a local fishing port, marking the start of full-scale port development.

The Oido Port Fishing Village New Deal 300 project will invest a total of 9.4 billion KRW, including 6.6 billion KRW in national funds, from this year through 2022 to improve port infrastructure and develop Oido into a central tourist destination in the metropolitan area connecting Siheung Gaetgol Wetlands, Wolgot Port, and Turtle Island in Sihwa Lake.

Lee Sang-woo, head of the Provincial Department of Marine and Fisheries, emphasized, "Oido will be reborn as a clean port favored by residents through the removal of illegal facilities," adding, "We will continue efforts to ensure that Oido Port's exemplary maintenance case can be applied to other cities and counties."

The province has been conducting crackdowns on illegal port facilities since this month after a guidance period last month, taking actions such as filing complaints and ordering restoration for detected illegal activities.

Illegal facilities within the port are punishable by up to two years imprisonment or fines up to 20 million KRW under the Fishing Village and Fishing Port Act. Additionally, illegal acts on public waters may result in up to three years imprisonment or fines up to 30 million KRW.