South Korean Authority Bans Surfing When Drunk Starting This Year, Violators Threatened With Fines Of IDR 11 Million

Surfer at Songjeong Beach, Busan. (Wikimedia Commons/Andrewssi2)

JAKARTA - South Korean authorities will ban people from surfing while under the influence of alcohol from June 2025.

According to the Korean Coast Guard, revised laws on water-related recreational activities will take effect on June 21 next year, prohibiting drunk people from riding water recreational boats such as surfboards or kayaks.

Currently, the ban on people under the influence of alcohol only applies to motorboat-related activities such as jet skis.

The Ginseng State Coast Guard pushed for the revision amid an increase in accidents involving drunk drivers.

"With the revision of the law, we will continue to identify unreasonable rules related to public safety and strengthen penalties realistically," said Chief Coast Guard Kim Jong-wook, as reported by The Korea Times on January 25.

Based on the new rules, someone caught riding a surfboard drunk alcohol levels in the blood 0.03 percent or higher will be fined up to 1 million won (Rp11,211,180).

Not only that, those who refuse an awareness test can also be fined 1 million won.

Meanwhile, experts say drinking alcohol before surfing or kayaking can increase the risk of accidents, as it can kill the senses, having a negative impact on the assessment and reaction time of people under the influence of alcohol.

Quoted from Surfertoday, South Korea has a coastline of about 9,500 miles (15,300 kilometers), which is about ten times longer than Portugal.

Despite being overshadowed by the Pacific waves by Japan, the country still has a lot of waves produced in the Japanese Sea and the Yellow Sea.

As a result, there are many waves that can be ridden around the Korean Peninsula and even the wave pool in Seoul.

Recently, there have been reports of links between liquor and surfers that do not necessarily involve the South Korean surfer community, but the people who visit Yangyang, the famous surfing city.

Yang, home to some of the best surf spots in South Korea, became a popular party venue and even earned a controversial reputation. The alcohol-filled nightlife, a provocative depiction of social media, has overshadowed the surfing culture that used to be vibrant.

As a result, the city's essence degradation prevents surfers and true tourists from harming the local economy and displacing their true identities.