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Korea moves to improve safety regulations at indoor screen golf venues as accidents rise

Published: 05 Jun. 2025, 18:13

Screen golf in Seoul. [YONHAP]

With accidents on the rise at indoor screen golf venues, Korea’s Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) is calling for tighter safety regulations to prevent injuries caused by golf clubs striking overhead equipment.

The ACRC recommended Thursday that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism revise existing facility standards by requiring the minimum height of 2.8 meters (9.19 feet) to be measured from the teeing area not to the ceiling itself, but to the lowest point of any ceiling-mounted equipment, such as lighting or pipes.

The move comes amid a rapid nationwide increase in screen golf venues, which are popular for their accessibility but increasingly under scrutiny for safety risks. Users have filed complaints about clubs hitting ceiling fixtures, resulting in damage, injuries and disputes over compensation between patrons and operators.

Under the current Installation and Utilization of Sports Facilities Act, a minimum height of 2.8 meters is required from the teeing area to the ceiling. However, this standard has been criticized as insufficient for ensuring safety when equipment is installed within the ceiling space.

Complaints have been filed about golf clubs striking ceiling-mounted equipment, leading to broken devices and safety risks, according to the ACRC. Some cases have escalated into damage compensation disputes between users and business operators. Given the limitations of the existing standard, calls for its improvement have continued.

In response, the ACRC drafted a regulatory improvement plan to prevent golf clubs from hitting ceiling installations by clearly defining the measurement point for facility height.

“This reform is a pre-emptive safety measure in light of the continuous increase in screen golf venues,” said Kim Ki-sun, director-general of the ACRC’s Inspection and Protection Bureau.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]