South Korea to pull 1,200 discarded tires from Busan port seabed

South Korean authorities will remove more than 1,200 discarded tire fenders left on the seabed of Busan port to reduce microplastic pollution and prevent vessel accidents.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced Tuesday that it will conduct an intensive retrieval of tire fenders submerged in waters around Busan's south and north ports from Wednesday through Sept. 2.

The tires were originally used as fenders to cushion the impact of vessels docking at piers but were lost overboard over time. Left on the seabed, they break down into microplastics that contaminate the marine environment and pose a hazard to navigation.

A ministry survey of major ports nationwide last year found that Busan port had the highest concentration of submerged discarded tires, leading officials to designate it as the first site for the retrieval project.

The operation is based on a detailed survey conducted from March through May. The total collection area covers 77 hectares, with a target of 131 tons — approximately 1,200 tires.

The work will cover 35 hectares around Busan's south port, targeting 86 tons of tires, and 42 hectares around Pier 5, Gamman Citizens' Pier and the Cheonghak quay wall in the north port, targeting 45 tons. Trained divers will secure the tires with ropes before cranes lift them to the surface. Retrieval at the north port is scheduled for completion by Aug. 23, with the south port to follow by Sept. 2.

Hwang Jun-seong, the ministry's marine environment policy director, said vessel owners bear a key responsibility for preventing the problem. "It is important for ship owners to replace aging fenders on time to prevent loss, and to take responsibility for retrieving them if they are lost," he said. "We will continue the tire retrieval effort while also stepping up outreach to raise awareness of that responsibility on the ground."