Lifeguards to be posted across Korea

Children have fun at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul, Sunday. More than 13,000 lifeguards will be posted at beaches, valleys and swimming pools across the country this summer. / Yonhap

By Jung Min-ho

More than 13,000 lifeguards will be posted at beaches, valleys and swimming pools across the country this summer, the government said Monday.

According to the Ministry of Public Safety and Security, 13,751 lifeguards will be posted at 5,490 beaches, valleys and swimming pools beginning this month for safety supervision as many people are getting ready for their summer vacations.

Provincial governments will manage the lifeguards flexibly, depending on the circumstances.

According to the ministry, 157 people drowned over the past five years. Inexperience with swimming (51) is the biggest cause, followed by carelessness in the water (50) and swimming while intoxicated (22).

From July to August, the ministry will strengthen its crackdown on people who use personal boats and other water craft without licenses. Drunk drivers will also be penalized.

Provincial governments are required to check the safety of their facilities in their regions by the end of June, and the ministry will ensure everything is fine by early July.

The ministry also plans to step up its efforts to raise awareness of water safety via media advertisements in the coming months.

“We will try our best to minimize accidents on the water,” the ministry said in a statement.