Government to Prevent Marine Accidents of Leisure Boats... Judicial Police Authority Granted to Local Government Officials

[Financial News]  


Wearing life jackets and providing safety instructions before departure for passengers using marina boats such as leisure boats or yachts will be mandatory.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 29th that it has prepared improvement measures to prevent marine accidents of leisure-purpose vessels in cooperation with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Coast Guard.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as the number of tourists enjoying marine tourism such as yacht tours has increased recently, leisure boat accidents have consistently occurred with 67 cases in 2022, 99 cases in 2023, and 51 cases in 2024.
In response, the government has selected 13 improvement tasks in four areas: ▲ safety system ▲ vessel safety ▲ operator and individual safety ▲ user safety culture to prevent related accidents.
The government first decided to make it mandatory for passengers using marina boats to wear life jackets and be informed of safety rules before departure.
Regulations will also be established to restrict vessel operations in case of bad weather or marine accidents in nearby waters.
To reduce collision accidents during water leisure activities, areas near breakwaters with fast currents and irregular waves will be designated as speed limit danger zones of 10 knots (approximately 20 km/h) or less.
Additionally, the government plans to strengthen safety education for those involved in water leisure activities.
It will develop safety education guidelines tailored to the characteristics of the marina boat rental industry and provide customized professional training for water leisure equipment operators and safety inspectors.
To strengthen the crackdown on illegal activities related to water leisure, the Korea Coast Guard and local governments will operate joint guidance and enforcement teams during peak seasons. To enhance the effectiveness of enforcement and special patrols, the government is also considering granting judicial police authority to local government officials.
The government also plans to conduct joint safety inspections with relevant agencies and provide free vessel inspections to prevent drifting or capsizing accidents due to hull damage or malfunction.
Vessels that have been left unattended for a long time or have expired safety inspection periods will be encouraged to voluntarily undergo maintenance through prior notice, and fines will be imposed if not complied with.
In the event of an accident, an intelligent distress signal device that automatically transmits distress signals by recognizing the accident situation during small vessel accidents will be developed to quickly identify the location of the vessel.

ktitk@fnnews.com Kim Taekyung Reporter