People caught smoking or drinking along Seoul's Cheonggyecheon stream could face fines of up to 100,000 won ($71) as early as the second half of this year, as the Seoul Metropolitan Government moves to replace its largely advisory enforcement approach with a formal penalty system. The shift comes after a series of disorderly incidents — including bathing, drinking and smoking in the stream — attributed to some tourists.
The city is pursuing plans to designate the entire 8.12-kilometer stretch of Cheonggyecheon, from Cheonggye Plaza to its confluence with the Jungnang River, as a no-smoking and no-drinking zone, with fines to take effect before the end of the year, according to News1 on Wednesday.
The current Seoul Metropolitan Government ordinance on the use and management of Cheonggyecheon — Article 11 — authorizes the Seoul mayor to issue administrative guidance against a range of prohibited activities, including drinking, smoking, fishing, swimming, bathing, cooking, sleeping rough, public urination and bringing animals into the stream area.
However, there has been no legal basis for imposing fines or other sanctions when violations are detected. On-site enforcement has relied solely on patrols and verbal warnings by Seoul Facilities Corporation staff, a system critics have said falls short of effective deterrence.
In response, the city plans to formally designate Cheonggyecheon as a no-smoking and no-drinking zone under the National Health Promotion Act, enabling enforcement officers from the four districts overseeing the stream to directly cite and fine violators.
Enforcement is expected to cover the walkways along the stream where visitors descend to the waterway, spanning the full length from Cheonggye Plaza to the Jungnang River confluence. Roads and sidewalks along the upper banks are expected to be excluded from the enforcement zone.
Fines are likely to be set at up to 100,000 won, the ceiling allowed under Article 34 of the National Health Promotion Act.
The city held a working-level meeting Wednesday with the four districts that oversee Cheonggyecheon — Jongno-gu, Jung-gu, Dongdaemun-gu and Seongdong-gu — to discuss preparations for the no-smoking and no-drinking designation. The meeting covered the deployment of district enforcement officers, patrol methods and the scope of enforcement.
"Currently, safety personnel handle violations through guidance, but once the area is designated a no-smoking and no-drinking zone, the districts will be able to enforce directly," a Seoul Metropolitan Government official said. "We plan to discuss the specific scope, enforcement methods and timing of the designation."
The push to tighten management of Cheonggyecheon follows repeated incidents involving some foreign tourists. The city said that while the general conduct of domestic visitors has improved and complaints related to Cheonggyecheon use have been declining, cases of foreign tourists wading into the stream to bathe or smoke have continued, making stronger management necessary.
Even once a legal basis for fines is established, actually imposing them on foreign tourists may prove difficult in practice. The city said it expects the stricter enforcement regime itself to raise awareness among foreign visitors about prohibited behavior.
Outreach to foreign tourists will also be expanded. The city plans to share Cheonggyecheon usage rules with travel agencies and the tourism industry ahead of group tourist visits, and will run multilingual information and promotional campaigns alongside enforcement.
The city also plans to review whether fines can be extended to other prohibited activities at Cheonggyecheon, such as wading into or bathing in the stream.
As one of the city center's most popular recreational spaces and a major destination for both domestic and international tourists, Cheonggyecheon's orderly use is seen as essential. If the no-smoking and no-drinking designation leads to active enforcement, it is expected to bring significant changes to how people use the stream.
rainbow@heraldcorp.com
