"I Have an Understanding of Currents from Regular Surfing"
A tourist who was drifting after being swept away by waves at a beach in Jeju was safely rescued with the help of the Jeju police.
Jeju police rode a surfboard directly into the strong waves to rescue a tourist who had fallen into the sea. Photo by Jeju Police Agency
On September 20, the Jeju Police Agency announced that at approximately 8:54 a.m. that day, a tourist in their twenties, identified as A, was swept away by waves at Jungmun Saekdal Beach in Seogwipo City.
At the time, A was drifting about 200 to 300 meters from the shore, shouting for help. Other nearby surfers attempted to rescue A, but due to the high waves, they encountered difficulties and called emergency services. Upon receiving a joint response request from 119, the police issued a "Code 1," an extremely urgent situation requiring the fastest possible response. As a result, Sergeant Kim Yangjae (age 39) and another officer from the Jungmun Police Substation of the Seogwipo Police Station were dispatched to the scene.
Sergeant Kim judged that waiting for the fire department and coast guard to arrive could put A in further danger. Having learned surfing as a hobby for three to four years, he borrowed a board from a nearby surf shop, broke through waves about two meters high, and secured A on the board. Afterward, the fire rescue team that arrived at the scene threw a rope, and when Sergeant Kim tied it to the board, they pulled A to shore. It was reported that A showed symptoms of exhaustion and hypothermia but was not in life-threatening condition.
Sergeant Kim stated, "Because I regularly surf, I have an understanding of waves and currents, so I instantly recognized the danger and was confident in the rescue," adding, "I will continue to protect the lives and safety of citizens without hesitation whenever they are in danger."
Meanwhile, the Jeju Regional Coast Guard announced that from June to August this year, there were a total of 42 drowning accidents in coastal waters around Jeju, including harbors, ports, and rocky shores. This is more than double the number compared to the same period in 2023 (23 cases) and 2024 (24 cases). In particular, the number of deaths from drowning accidents during this period reached 9 in 2023, 5 in 2024, and 8 in 2025, totaling 22 fatalities over the past three years. Most fatal drowning accidents were caused by falls or water and underwater leisure activities.
The Coast Guard and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province analyzed that the increase in casualties was due to a rise in the number of people engaging in water activities along the Jeju coast during the summer. To reduce water-related accidents in coastal areas, Jeju Province and the Coast Guard extended the deployment of 156 safety personnel through September. In addition, they recently held an emergency safety meeting and decided to strengthen related activities to ensure compliance with safety rules for water activities, including: mandatory life jacket use for swimmers and snorkelers, adherence to the buddy system, pre-checking equipment, entering the water only after confirming weather conditions, and prohibiting entry after drinking alcohol.
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