▲ Last month, Kim Gwang-yong, Head of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, presided over a meeting to inspect the progress of clearing illegal facilities in streams and valleys, discussing the status and countermeasures by each agency.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on June 22 that it had identified 80,898 illegal facilities in streams and valleys as of June 19.
Among these, 3,193 were facilities used for illegal commercial activities.
Some of the identified structures included farmland, containers, and fishing facilities located between streams and embankments, which pose risks of blocking water flow or causing flooding.
Those who voluntarily clear their illegal facilities during the "voluntary reporting and removal period," which ends on June 30, may be exempted from compensation fees (penalties imposed for unauthorized occupation of state-owned or public property) or criminal liability.
If owners do not participate in voluntary removal by the end of this month, they may face administrative enforcement or business suspension starting next month.
While there have been complaints from the field requesting an extension of the removal period due to existing reservations ahead of the peak summer season, it is generally difficult to accept these requests considering fairness toward those who have already completed their removals.
As of today, the voluntary removal rate for illegal commercial facilities stands at approximately 33%.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety explained that its goal is to achieve a voluntary removal rate of over 50% by the end of the voluntary reporting and removal period.
Kim Gwang-yong, Head of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, held a meeting with relevant agencies today to inspect the status of investigations and cleanup of illegal facilities in streams and valleys, stating, "We will prioritize the removal of illegal commercial facilities used by the general public before the full-scale summer vacation season begins."
(Photo courtesy of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.