220V outlet spotted on rocks at Yangju valley, raising electrocution fears

Safety concerns are mounting after a 220-volt electrical outlet was spotted on rocks at Jangheung Valley in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province.

The discovery was featured Monday on JTBC's "Sageon Banjang," a current-affairs program, based on a tip from a YouTuber identified only as A, who said he visited Jangheung Valley on Aug. 2.

A said tent-and-platform-style operations once common in the valley have largely disappeared, but vendors were still found running businesses on illegally constructed platforms atop decks and placing tables not only on private land but also on state-owned land.

More alarming was a hazardous device found near the stream. About 20 meters from the waterway, a submersible pump was channeling water like an artificial waterfall — and an electrical outlet had been installed on the surrounding rocks.

"They had attached an outlet to the rocks with two cords plugged into it," A said. "I was worried that if someone accidentally knocked it and the outlet fell into the water, people could be electrocuted."

After the broadcast, an online commenter who identified himself as a licensed electrician said: "220 volts is considered low voltage, but contact can still be fatal to bystanders. The outlet appears to be a standard type with no ground-fault protection or safety device — if it fell into the water, electrocution would be a certainty."

A reported the installation to police after discovering it. Police told him the restaurant owner responsible had already received a warning from city hall last month and had since stopped operating the submersible pump.

A disputed that account. "I clearly saw the pump running," he said. "And wet moss was growing on the rocks — you cannot tell me it had not been used for a month. The water must have been running the whole time."

After A filed a complaint with the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, the matter is now being handled by the province's special judicial police unit under the safety management office.

The controversy surrounding Jangheung Valley extends beyond safety. A also flagged price gouging at businesses in the area, saying a baeksuk (chicken stew) set was being sold for 150,000 won ($106), 600 grams of samgyeopsal for 90,000 won, eight slices of watermelon for 18,000 won and a pot of ramyun for 5,000 won.

"A single table must be generating more than 200,000 won in sales," A said. "It seems like they keep operating because even after paying fines for illegal business, the revenue far outweighs the penalties."

Meanwhile, Yangju city confirmed that some businesses had installed water barriers in small streams, drawn water without authorization and blocked public access to waterways. The city issued restoration orders and other administrative penalties and filed more than 10 criminal complaints through last month. It also pursued administrative enforcement proceedings to demolish illegal structures.

Despite those measures, some businesses continued to repeat violations and filed administrative appeals and lawsuits, prolonging the process. In response, the city said it would station permanent stream-and-valley patrol officers throughout the Jangheung-myeon valley area and strengthen on-site monitoring. It also plans to install CCTV cameras at key locations to establish a continuous surveillance system.

For staircases that some businesses installed without permission, the city said it would put up access-control barriers at stream entry points and take other necessary steps to prevent the illegal privatization of public waterways.

"We have consistently taken strict measures — including administrative penalties and criminal complaints — against illegal activity by businesses near the streams and valleys of Jangheung Clean Valley," a Yangju city official said. "We will continue to respond firmly in accordance with the law, and will do our utmost to strengthen on-site management and enforcement so that citizens can use the streams and valleys safely and freely."