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Busan's Haeundae Beach extends summer lifeguard patrols to mid-September

Published: 13 Apr. 2025, 20:23

Tourists walk barefoot at Haeundae Beach in Busan on Jan. 23. [NEWS1]

Busan’s Haeundae Beach will open from June 21 to Sept. 14 this year, nearly a month longer than last year’s two-month season, as local officials respond to prolonged heat and past safety incidents.

The Haeundae District Office extended the season after two foreign tourists drowned on Sept. 16 last year. The accident occurred after lifeguards withdrew from the season that ended on Aug. 31 last year, even as beachgoers continued to swim in water that remained at 27.9 degrees Celsius (82.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in September.

The district’s beach committee, which includes Haeundae District Mayor Kim Sung-soo, residents and tourism experts, approved the extension. Songjeong Beach will also open earlier, from June 21 to Aug. 31, adding 10 days to its usual schedule.

Korean law allows year-round access to beaches, but local governments only deploy safety personnel during the official opening season.

“We expect this summer’s heat to last into September again,” a Haeundae District official said. “By extending the season, we plan to improve safety for swimmers who visit after the traditional vacation period.”

The extended season pushed the district’s beach operations budget to 6.49 billion won ($4.6 million), up from 5.01 billion won last year. Most of the increase will cover wages for around 500 lifeguards and sanitation workers at Haeundae and Songjeong.

The district is actively recruiting 70 additional lifeguards for September but anticipates difficulty filling positions once universities reopen. Officials already contacted physical education departments and reached out to veteran lifeguards for referrals.

Officials remain unsure whether the extension will bring a noticeable rise in visitors.

“With vacations spreading into other seasons, it’s hard to predict a clear increase,” the Haeundae District official said. “We’ll evaluate the results this year before deciding on next year’s schedule.”

The Haeundae and Songjeong beaches recorded 10.78 million visitors in 2022, 10.26 million in 2023 and 11.32 million last year during their official seasons.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY KIM MIN-JU [[email protected]]