Drunk surfing and kayaking to become illegal in South Korea in 2025
Under the coming Korean law, offenders can be fined up to US$676 for using water craft while drunk or refusing a blood-alcohol test
By Jung Min-ho
Surfing while under the influence of alcohol will be banned in South Korea from June 2025.
According to the Korean Coast Guard, the revised law of water-related leisure activities will come into force on June 21 next year to prohibit drunk people from riding water leisure craft such as surfboards and kayaks.
Currently, the rules only apply to only motorised craft like jet skis.
Under the new rule, a person who is found to have ridden a surfboard while drunk – a blood-alcohol content of 0.03 per cent or higher – will be subject to a fine of up to 1 million won (US$676). Those who refuse a sobriety test can also be fined 1 million won.
The coastguard pushed for the revision amid a rise in accidents involving drunk riders.