The Korea Forest Service announced on the 19th that it will conduct intensive crackdowns on illegal tree treatment activities in cooperation with local governments until the end of next month.
The crackdown will be carried out by joint inspection teams formed by the Korea Forest Service and local governments, targeting landscaping trees within apartment complexes and other multi-family housing complexes, green spaces in living areas such as school forests, and tree hospitals. The focus will be on examining the appropriateness of the entities executing tree treatment businesses, whether they possess qualified tree treatment technicians, and any illegal activities related to tree treatment, including certificate lending.
During the intensive crackdown in June and July last year, the Korea Forest Service guided and inspected 12,573 locations, uncovering illegal tree treatment activities at 24 unregistered tree hospitals, and took administrative actions or imposed fines according to relevant laws.
Tree treatment can only be performed at tree hospitals staffed by nationally certified professionals called ‘Namuisa’ (Tree Doctors). Violations of this regulation may result in fines of up to 5 million KRW under Article 54 of the Forest Protection Act.
Kim Incheon, Director of the Forest Pest Control Division at the Korea Forest Service, stated, “Inappropriate use of chemicals by non-experts and reckless tree treatment activities that violate safety regulations can threaten public safety and health. We will strengthen management and supervision of violations to ensure that a professional tree treatment system through tree hospitals is firmly established in the field.”
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