‘Extremely Dangerous’ Unceasing Unauthorized Entry into Mt. Sanbang… Already 2 Cases This Year
Unauthorized entry to Sanbangsan Mountain, where access is restricted, continues unabated. In particular, the situation is escalating to the point where administrative resources are being wasted due to illegal activities, with recurring incidents where unauthorized hikers get lost and helicopters are mobilized for rescue.
Jeju Autonomous Police Department announced on the 19th that it had booked A (68), a Singaporean national, on charges of violating the ‘Act on the Preservation and Utilization of Cultural Heritage’ for entering the restricted area of Sanbangsan Mountain without permission on the 18th.
Mr. A is accused of entering the restricted access area of Sanbangsan Mountain in Sagye-ri, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si without permission around 4:30 p.m. on the 18th.
This area has been closed to the general public for an extended period to protect cultural heritage and prevent safety accidents, so permission from the Administrator of the National Heritage Administration is mandatory for entry.
Mr. A also got lost after entering Sanbangsan Mountain that day. Around 7:10 PM that day, a report was received by the police and fire department stating, “A foreigner appears to have lost his way on Sanbangsan Mountain,” and a large number of fire department helicopters, police, and fire department personnel were mobilized to conduct a search.
Police and firefighters who launched a search found and rescued Mr. A around 9:55 p.m. that day. Mr. A was subsequently handed over to the local police.
According to the autonomous police, cases of unauthorized entry into Mt. Sanbang, like that of Mr. A, are continuously recurring.
In September 2023, two hikers, including Mr. B, in his 60s, entered Mt. Sanbang without permission. At the time, it was determined that they had entered Mt. Sanbang without permission via an entry route posted on a hiking application and climbed to the summit.
When they reached the summit, it was getting dark due to sunset, and judging that finding their way would be dangerous, they bivouacked (sleeping in shelter from snow and rain in caves, under trees, or in the shade of rocks) and tried to find their way the next day, but they could not find their way even after the sun had risen.
Consequently, a large-scale contingent including firefighting and rescue helicopters was eventually deployed to rescue them, and the autonomous police used this as an opportunity to launch a full-scale investigation into illegal activities on Mt. Sanbang.
Subsequently, last year, nine people who had illegally entered Mt. Sanbang following illegal hiking routes posted on hiking-related social media services between 2020 and 2023 were caught all at once. Including these individuals, a total of 10 unauthorized hikers were caught by the autonomous police last year.
So far this year, a total of two people have been caught for unauthorized entry into Sanbangsan Mountain, including the case of Mr. A who was caught this time.
The autonomous police are investigating the circumstances of Mr. A’s entry into the mountain by securing scene photos and location search records found on his mobile phone. Considering that he is a short-term foreign tourist scheduled to depart the country, the investigation is being conducted in cooperation with relevant agencies.
An official from the autonomous police stated, “The Sanbangsan restricted access zone has long been a place where entry has been restricted to protect cultural heritage and prevent safety accidents,” adding, “Nevertheless, unauthorized entry is repeatedly occurring.”
He added, “Every time an unauthorized entry occurs, a large number of personnel and equipment are deployed for nighttime rescue, resulting in social costs and safety issues,” and stated, “I ask both tourists and residents to strictly follow the entry ban guidelines.”
Source: https://www.mediajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=364341
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