Government data showed Wednesday that 81 percent of the 231 people who died or went missing in maritime accidents from 2019 to 2023 were not wearing life jackets at the time of the accident.
Most of the accidents (192) occurred on fishing boats, and in 81.8 percent of those cases victims were not wearing life jackets, according to data provided by the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority. Among the 50 deaths or disappearances resulting from falls off fishing boats, 48 victims were not wearing life jackets.
"Particularly in the case of fishing boats operating in coastal waters, (sailors) tend to not wear life jackets since it hinders their movement," the KOMSA said, advising sailors to wear them at all times.
South Korean law mandates that personnel on fishing boats wear life jackets on deck only if weather warnings have been issued. In 2024, the country revised the law to mandate wearing life jackets at all times if a fishing boat has only one or two people on board.
Other data released by the Korea Coast Guard in 2024 showed that of the 1,008 people involved in accidents in coastal areas, including people engaged in fishing and other water-based leisure activities, only 139 were wearing life jackets. Of the 120 who died or went missing, 110 were not wearing life jackets.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
