The Ministry of Environment (MOE) found that 98 camping sites violated environmental laws, such as exceeding the quality standard of discharge water, after conducting a special inspection on the actual condition of wastewater disposal at nationwide camping sites from May 14 to June 30.

The inspection was carried out to look into the status of wastewater disposal at camping sites as the popularity of camping has grown, concentrating upon the management standard for private sewage treatment facility, the quality standard of discharge water and illegal discharge of sewage.

The special inspection on 714 sites uncovered 103 cases of breaches in 98 sites, accounting for 13.7% of the total. By types of violation, 63 sites exceeded the quality standard of discharge water for private sewage treatment facility, 8 discharged sewage illegally, 6 uninstalled private sewage treatment facility and the number of other breaches of management standard was 26.

It emerged that three sites in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province discharged wastewater exceeding the quality standard by deliberately cutting the power supply of private sewage treatment facility.

MOE will take follow-up measures including charge for 21 cases, fines for 82 cases and improvement order for 64 cases. The special inspection following the last inspection conducted from September to October 2013 revealed that many camping sites still violate environmental laws and regulations.

The main causes were indifference and negligence of duty of the site owners as well as a lack of guidance and crackdown on those sites by local governments. It was also pointed out that local governments cannot provide aftercare services for all camping facilities that are estimated to reach about 2,000 including unauthorized private camping sites.

MOE will put utmost efforts to prevent environmental pollution around camping sites by carrying out special inspections down the road.