The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Saturday it will deploy monitoring personnel at Cheonggyecheon and establish a regulatory framework to impose fines, following a series of rule violations at the stream, including visitors wading in to collect coins thrown as wishes and others bathing in the water.
The city has stationed a dedicated patrol officer at Palseokdam, where unauthorized coin collection has occurred, and near Gosanja Bridge, where bathing incidents have been reported.
In addition, 40 facility safety officers from the Seoul Facilities Corporation rotate patrols along the stream's full 8.12-kilometer stretch. The city has also deployed additional dedicated staff at problem spots to respond quickly to violations arising in secondary sections.
Banners and signs listing prohibited activities — including entering the water, bathing, smoking and drinking — have been added at six locations to strengthen public guidance.
The city also plans to revise relevant laws and ordinances to move beyond a warning-centered approach toward a system linking prevention, on-site intervention and follow-up sanctions.
Where existing regulations fall short, the city intends to amend its ordinances to spell out prohibited conduct and penalty standards, and to establish a concrete legal basis for imposing fines.
Starting next month, the city will run a campaign titled "Creating a Mature Cheonggyecheon Culture" to publicize prohibited behaviors and promote proper use of the stream.
Given the high volume of foreign tourists visiting the site, the city plans to notify travel agencies and the tourism industry of the rules and to roll out multilingual outreach.
The violations drew public anger after videos circulated on social media showing a middle-aged man and woman wading into the stream to collect coins that visitors had tossed in while making wishes.
Separate footage of a middle-aged woman spreading out bathing supplies along the stream's edge and washing herself also drew widespread criticism.
"Cheonggyecheon is one of Seoul's most beloved rest areas, shared by residents and tourists from home and abroad, and the many should not be inconvenienced by the illegal and inconsiderate behavior of a few," said Jeong Seong-guk, director of Seoul's Water Circulation and Safety Bureau. "We will swiftly establish effective grounds for sanctions, including fines, to preserve a clean and safe environment at Cheonggyecheon."
ken@heraldcorp.com
