Beaches rated on safety, price gouging, unauthorized tent squatting and tourism content

Daecheon deployed 92 lifeguards in round-the-clock shifts; Gwangalli kept staff on after closing

Beach safety incidents fell 25% below the three-year average this year

Gyeongpo Beach, one of this year's top-rated beaches [Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries]
Gyeongpo Beach, one of this year's top-rated beaches [Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries]

Gangneung's Gyeongpo Beach, Busan's Gwangalli Beach and Boryeong's Daecheon Beach earned the highest marks among the country's beaches this year for safety management, visitor order and tourism offerings. All three recorded zero fatalities during their operating seasons.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced Thursday that it had selected the three beaches as this year's top-rated beaches.

The ministry evaluated beaches on safety management, the elimination of unauthorized tent squatting and price gouging, specialized content and visitor satisfaction, with final selections made through in-person assessments by a beach evaluation committee. The local governments responsible for the winning beaches will each receive a ministerial commendation and a prize of 1 million won ($738).

Safety management stood out most. Gyeongpo Beach added emergency medical technicians and nurses to its staff and deployed 72 water safety officers. Gwangalli Beach installed additional safety watchtowers and kept lifeguards on duty from Sept. 1 through Sept. 13, after the official season had ended.

Daecheon Beach expanded its safety personnel by 15 percent from last year to 92 staff members, operating a 24-hour, three-shift rotation. The beach used integrated drone and closed-circuit television monitoring to manage late-night swimming incidents and provided 1,503 free life jacket rentals. All three beaches recorded zero fatalities during their operating seasons.

The chronic problems of price gouging and unauthorized structures were also factored into the evaluation. Gyeongpo posted rental prices for parasols, tubes and campsites at major beach entrances and online, and operated a price-stability task force and a price-labeling inspection team.

Gwangalli published rental equipment prices on the government portal Gov24 and Naver Place, displayed on-site price boards and ran a hotline for reporting unfair charges. Daecheon introduced a standard pricing system and conducted joint inspections by officials and private operators, deploying 23 order-enforcement personnel — three times the usual number.

Crackdowns on so-called "spot squatting" — the practice of claiming prime beach areas with tents or gear for extended periods — were also stepped up. Gyeongpo enforced rules against unauthorized tents and camping equipment on the beach and in parking areas. Gwangalli designated separate zones for personal parasols and shade structures. Daecheon cleared out squatted items before the season opened and conducted on-site inspections focused on areas with repeat violations.

Each beach also expanded its recreational offerings. Gyeongpo operated a diving platform at Duck Rock, a floating bridge, a large water slide and a seawater pool, and held evening sessions from July 25 through Aug. 8.

Gwangalli combined its regular drone and laser shows with a stand-up paddleboarding program. Daecheon ran a separate pet-friendly beach area and tied its beachside sand playground to the Boryeong Mud Festival.

Overall safety and satisfaction figures improved across all beaches this year. Safety incidents nationwide fell 25 percent from the three-year average of 9.3 cases. Visitor satisfaction reached 83.3 percent, up more than 5 percentage points from last year.

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Hwang Jong-woo congratulated the three beaches, saying they had "proactively and meticulously carried out stronger safety management, standard pricing and spot-squatting controls to earn this honor." He added that the ministry would "do its utmost to ensure the public can enjoy beaches safely and conveniently."


adastra@heraldcorp.com