Jeju family falls while trying to take 'Insaengshot' photos... "Did not know due to lack of safety signs"

Local governments stated they "controlled access"

A family traveling in Jeju experienced an accident when they fell while taking photos on a concrete structure by the sea.

Photo by MBC Broadcast Screen Capture

According to Udo-myeon on the 23rd, a family traveling in Udo, Jeju, climbed onto a concrete structure overlooking the sea around 2:30 p.m. on the 13th to take photos. At that moment, the concrete structure suddenly collapsed, and three of the seven people fell through the structure and were seriously injured.

Photo by MBC Broadcast Screen Capture

The collapsed structure is a 'Bulteok' built in the 1980s for haenyeo (female divers) to warm themselves by a fire and shelter from the wind while diving. It is known that the site had not been used for over 20 years due to the risk of collapse. The Udo-myeon office claimed that they had installed safety belts to block access.

However, the family involved in the accident has a different stance. They stated, "The safety belts were not properly installed," and "The safety belts were lying on the ground, so we did not realize it was a dangerous area."

Currently, the Udo-myeon office has installed additional no-entry signs after the accident. They also intend to demonstrate that sufficient safety measures had already been taken.

The police are investigating the detailed circumstances of the incident, including whether safety measures were inadequate and if access control was enforced, following a request for investigation by the affected family.

Entry Prohibited in Dangerous and Warning Zones at Tourist Sites... Accidents Continue

On the 2nd of last month, a part of the famous Turtle Rock in Ulleungdo collapsed, injuring tourists camping underneath it.

According to the Gyeongbuk Fire Headquarters, around 6:56 a.m. on October 2nd, the head part of Turtle Rock in Namyang-ri, Seomyeon, Ulleung-gun, Gyeongbuk, collapsed, and about 50 tons of rock fell on campers, injuring four tourists in their 20s and 30s. They were camping under Turtle Rock during the Chuseok holiday when they were hit by falling rocks or fell into the water while trying to avoid them.

Turtle Rock is a rock formation resembling a baby turtle riding on its back and is one of Ulleungdo’s representative photo zones. However, the rock is old and soft, causing frequent rockfalls. Although Ulleung-gun installed warning signs such as 'Rockfall Danger' and 'Camping Prohibited' around Turtle Rock, it is known that no personnel were specifically deployed to crack down on unauthorized camping.

Safety concerns due to the craze for 'certification shots' are also significant. Earlier this year, the popularity of the animated film The First Slam Dunk caused a surge of tourists trying to take photos in backgrounds similar to those in the movie, causing distress in the Cheongsapo area of Haeundae-gu, Busan.

When tourists tried to take photos in the middle of the road, occupying a four-lane road, Haeundae-gu prohibited filming due to safety concerns. However, many pleaded, "We came from far away, please let us take just one photo," or took photos when safety personnel were not watching.