Joint enforcement teams to target illegal facilities, cooking and littering in valleys for two months starting Wednesday
Authorities will launch a crackdown on illegal facilities, cooking and littering in forests during the summer vacation season.
The Korea Forest Service announced Tuesday that it will conduct its "2026 Summer Forest Illegal Activity Intensive Crackdown" from Wednesday through Aug. 31, as visitor numbers at mountain areas are expected to surge during the holiday period.
The two-month campaign focuses on preventing forest damage caused by cooking and littering at valley sites, eliminating illegally occupied structures such as flat wooden platforms and water barriers, and restoring safety and order for the public.
The main enforcement targets are the construction or operation of illegally occupied facilities in forest valleys — including flat platforms, water barriers and bungalows — unauthorized occupation of forest land and illegal commercial activities, cooking, smoking or burning in unpermitted areas, illegal dumping of household waste and refuse, and illegal land conversion or tree damage around campsites.
To carry out the crackdown, the Korea Forest Service will form joint enforcement teams composed of staff from its headquarters, five regional forest offices nationwide with 27 national forest management offices, and local government special judicial police and forest protection officers.
Drones will be deployed in hard-to-reach upper valley areas and deep forest zones to ensure thorough inspections. The agency also plans to coordinate with the Ministry of Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy on joint efforts to clear illegal structures from rivers and valleys, with strict measures taken against any violations detected.
Park Yeong-hwan, head of the Korea Forest Service's Forest Environment Protection Division, urged the public to support forest conservation efforts. "Public attention and cooperation are more important than anything else for establishing a proper forest protection culture," Park said. "Please make sure to take your trash home with you after enjoying the valleys, and report any illegal activities in forests immediately."
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
