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Among the small islands around Jeju, Munseom off the coast of Seogwipo is designated as a natural monument, and it has been claimed that the underwater rocks and corals in this area are being damaged by a tourist submarine.
Reporter Ha Chang-hoon of JIBS reports.
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Munseom Island was designated as Natural Monument No. 421 in 2000.
It is also called the core of Korea's marine protected areas because of its well-formed underwater ecosystem.
However, there were claims that the Munseom area was damaged by a tourist submarine.
This is a video filmed by the Green Federation, an environmental group.
It is easy to see traces of damage caused by something scratched across the underwater rock formations.
At the stopover where submarines land, the floor is flattened, and artificial shape change is also suspected.
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Coral damage is also suspected.
In the vicinity of the bedrock, 9 types of legally protected corals, including the Gingji pine, were found, and it is said that they were damaged along with the bedrock.
[Sang-Hoon Yoon/Expert Member of Marine Ecology Team of Green Alliance: Even legally protected species such as sea pine and Ginga pine, designated as natural monuments by the Cultural Heritage Administration were not protected from tourism submarines and were damaged or neglected.
] It said it has continued to monitor the claim itself and, although there are some signs of damage, is focusing on overall protection and restoration.
[Tourist submarine company official: Munseom is so beautiful now that we do business and scuba divers do not cease to exist every summer. If it has been continuously damaged for 30 years, will it remain like that?
It's common sense, but it doesn't make sense...
.]
The Cultural Heritage Administration said that there is no problem with the permit process, but that it will establish countermeasures through a thorough investigation into the points pointed out this time.
(Video coverage: Kang Hyo-seop JIBS)