The country's 16 popular beaches require reservations, concentrated mainly in Busan, Gangwon, Ulsan and North Gyeongsang Provinces. Meanwhile, visitors to Jeju Island or South Chungcheong Province will not have to worry about reservations as the new system is voluntary and the two regions' governments have decided to take other measures to prevent the spread of the disease.
Daecheon Beach in Boryeong City, Chungnam Province
If the destination is not one of the 16 beaches above and is not located in Jeju or South Chungcheong, visitors can check whether they need to make a reservation on the website.Korean beach tourism information.
In addition, visitors to 270 beaches in South Korea will be required to have their body temperature and personal information checked so that in case they are infected, authorities can more easily trace their whereabouts.
"Because of the overseas travel ban, domestic beaches are expected to be crowded this year. We hope this measure can help people enjoy the beach while ensuring safety," a South Korean government official said at a press conference on June 18.
Hyeopjae Beach in Jeju Island
In addition to the beach reservation rule, swimming at public pools may not be allowed this summer as new cases continue to rise in Seoul. The Seoul government announced on June 19 that it plans to postpone the reopening of swimming pools and water sports facilities in the Han River area. The city had originally planned to reopen five of the eight pools by the end of next month and allow them to operate for about two months. However, the plan was delayed due to the increase in new cases. The city government said it would review the plan and announce a final decision next month.
According to worldometers.info data, as of June 22, South Korea recorded 12,438 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection and 280 deaths.
