Gyeonggi-do Cracks Down on Illegal Activities at 360 Major Valleys and Rivers in the Province

Poster for Intensive Crackdown on Illegal Activities in Valley Streams of Gyeonggi-do

Gyeonggi Province will crack down on illegal activities at vacation spots such as valleys and Hwacheon.

The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police announced on the 27th that they will intensively crack down on illegal activities at vacation spots such as valleys and rivers from July 8 to August 31 during the summer vacation season. The crackdown targets 360 popular vacation spots including major valleys and rivers in the province such as Gapyeong’s famous valleys and Yongchu Valley, Pocheon’s Baegun Valley, and Yangpyeong’s Jungwon Valley.

This crackdown aims to prevent the reinstallation of illegal facilities such as flat platforms in valleys that were removed through the river illegal activity cleanup that has been ongoing since 2019.

The Special Judicial Police will maintain clean valleys by cracking down on private sewage treatment facilities outside sewage treatment zones near camping sites and restaurants around valleys and rivers, and will also focus on places vulnerable to safety management such as illegal lodging facilities.

The main crackdown targets include ▲ installation of illegal facilities such as movable flat platforms in valleys ▲ failure to install or improper operation and management of private sewage treatment facilities ▲ operation of unregistered campgrounds ▲ operation of unreported restaurants and lodging businesses.

Unauthorized occupation of river areas without permission is punishable by up to 2 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 20 million KRW under the River Act. Failure to install private sewage treatment facilities is punishable by up to 2 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 20 million KRW under the Sewerage Act, and unreported restaurants are punishable by up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 30 million KRW under the Food Sanitation Act.

A Gyeonggi Province official stated, "Although rivers have become cleaner through many efforts, illegal activities such as the installation of illegal facilities have not been eradicated every year," and added, "We will do our best to ensure that residents can enjoy a safe and pleasant summer vacation through continuous crackdowns."