Ongjin County (Governor Jang Jeong-min) is set to see improved maritime transportation conditions for residents of the five West Sea islands with the revision of the “Northwest Islands Vessel Operation Regulation,” which takes effect on July 20. The county welcomed the revision, calling it a meaningful turning point in restoring the mobility rights of residents in the border area.
 [The Korean Today] A ferry operating on a route to the five West Sea islands © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
The core of the revised regulation is the easing of restrictions on nighttime ferry operations. Due to the unique national security circumstances surrounding the five West Sea islands, they had been the only region in the country where nighttime ferry operations were restricted, a constraint residents had endured for a long time. With the expansion of nighttime operating hours under the revision, the living conditions of residents who have faced mobility inconveniences because of their location in a border area are expected to improve significantly.
Until now, residents of the five West Sea islands faced considerable restrictions in daily life and transportation due to the nighttime operation limits, including difficulty securing timely ferry service even during emergencies or urgent travel needs. Ongjin County expects that this easing of the regulation will substantially resolve such inconveniences.
Ongjin County plans to treat this measure not as a one-time improvement but as the starting point for a phased expansion. The county intends to continue improving operating conditions going forward, gradually broadening travel convenience between the mainland and other island areas as well.
Ongjin County stated, “This regulatory revision is an important opportunity to enhance the quality of life for island residents, going beyond a simple expansion of operating hours,” adding, “We will continue to improve maritime transportation conditions so that residents can travel more safely and conveniently, and actively pursue transportation policies that residents can genuinely feel the benefits of.”
The five West Sea islands — Baengnyeongdo, Daecheongdo, Socheongdo, Yeonpyeongdo and Soyeonpyeongdo — form a border maritime area where ferries serve as virtually the only means of transportation for residents, lending considerable significance to this institutional improvement, observers say. The revised regulation takes effect on July 20.
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
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