Jeju waters are being threatened by marine debris.
The Korea Coast Guard and a fishing community work together to collect litter at the coast of (무릉리) Mureung-ri, Seogwipo.
About one ton of marine litter was collected in a single day.
Todd Thacker reports.

[slug] Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo

This is the coast of (무릉리) Mureung-ri, Seogwipo.
The long horizon clearly and beautifully separates ocean from sky.
This area of coastline offers a clean and safe habitat for dolphins.

[slug] More marine debris as visitor numbers increase

But as more visitors and anglers come to the area, increasing amounts of debris are being found.

Jeju haenyeo women divers could also be put in danger by the accumulation of underwater debris.

Mun Yeon-shim / Fishing Village Chief, Mureung-ri
Most underwater litter is from angling. The swim fins or diving gear lines of the haenyeo can be caught in angling debris. It can really be dangerous, particularly for older divers.
<문연심 / 무릉리 어촌계장>
"주로 낚시 (쓰레기)가 많습니다. 오리발에 걸릴 수도 있고 비창 줄에 걸릴 수도 있고 위험이 많습니다. 할머니 혼자 작업하다가 거기에 걸리면 어떻게 하겠습니까."

[slug] Coast guard, community, professional divers work on coastal cleanup

Officials from the Seogwipo office of the Korea Coast Guard, members of (무릉리) Mureung-ri fishing community and professional divers are working together on the cleanup.
Plastic bottles, fishing ropes and household waste are easily found underwater.
It doesn't take long to fill a net bag with trash.

Cha Song-yeon / Professional diver
This is more serious than I expected. Large pieces of debris and fishing lines litter the bottom of the ocean.
<인터뷰 : 차송연 / 다이버>
"대형 쓰레기들도 굉장히 많고 낚싯줄도 많고 쓰레기가 굉장히 생각보다 많았습니다."

Yi Jeong-u / Seogwipo Office, Korea Coast Guard
The most common types of marine debris collected here are lines, floats, plastic waste and food waste discarded by anglers and gear thrown from fishing boats into the water.
<인터뷰 : 이정우 / 서귀포해양경찰서 구조대>
"주로 낚시객들이 버리는 낚싯줄이나 찌, 플라스틱, 음식물 쓰레기들이 많았고 어선에서 사용하는 해양폐기물들도 많이 있었습니다."

They also collect trash along the shore.
This includes used tires, styrofoam and household waste which fills the truck in a few hours.

[slug] 1 ton of marine trash collected

During the morning alone, some 100 kilograms of underwater debris and 900 kilograms of shoreline trash is collected.

INTERVIEW
Choi Hyeon-gyu / Seogwipo Office, Korea Coast Guard
We've launched an ocean cleaning project. The Korea Coast Guard and nearby fishing community collect marine debris together on a regular basis.
<인터뷰 : 최현규 / 서귀포해양경찰서 해양오염방제과장>
"바다 깨끗하게 만들기 운동을 시작하고 있습니다. 지금 제주 해안가에 있는 수중 침적된 쓰레기들을 해양경찰 구조대와 지역의 어촌계가 함께 정기적으로 수중 정화 활동을 실시하고 있고..."

[Reporter] Todd Thacker
[Camera] Jwa Sang-eun
[Footage] Seogwipo Office, Korea Coast Guard

Carelessness is polluting the world's oceans. We must act now with sustainable ocean management and preventive measures.

Todd Thacker, KCTV