Gyeonggi-do, Hwaseong and 3 Other Areas Conduct 'Shared Water Surface Usage' Survey

Gyeonggi Province will conduct a field survey in the first half of this year on 435 cases of the use of public waters, which are state-owned waterways or lands adjacent to water.

The survey targets include 268 cases in Ansan, 93 in Hwaseong, 50 in Siheung, and 24 in Gimpo, involving unauthorized construction of artificial structures, plant cultivation, and reclamation activities within public waters in four coastal areas of the province.

These areas are suspected of illegal use of public waters based on video and cadastral data secured by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Coastal Association, as well as on-site investigations.

Gyeonggi Province will conduct a survey on the actual conditions of shared water surface usage in the first half of this year.

Gyeonggi Province will identify whether permits for occupation and use of public waters and reclamation licenses have been obtained in accordance with the Act on the Management and Reclamation of Public Waters, and if illegal use is confirmed, will take measures such as imposing compensation fees and fines, ordering restoration, and nationalization.

Kim Bong-hyun, Director of the Marine and Fisheries Division of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "Public waters are valuable assets that we must protect, and we will do our best to ensure their efficient use and management so that all residents can enjoy them."

Meanwhile, last year, Gyeonggi Province took measures such as ordering restoration and imposing compensation fees for a total of 190 cases of unauthorized occupation and use of public waters.