A shark- and jellyfish-prevention net is seen at Anmok Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon, on July 25, 2025.JOONGANGILBO
Sharks are increasingly appearing off Korea's East Coast ahead of the peak summer beach season, and local governments are accordingly stepping up safety measures, including installing shark-prevention nets.
Gangneung in Gangwon will install protective nets in the waters off Gyeongpo Beach before the beach officially opens on July 4. The nets are designed to keep out potentially dangerous marine life, including sharks and jellyfish.
The barrier will stretch 600 meters (1,970 feet) in length and stands 3 meters high. Its mesh is fine enough that only two fingers can fit through its openings.
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A similar 600-meter net will also be installed at nearby Anmok Beach.
Gangneung has also significantly expanded its shark deterrent system this year. The number of shark deterrent devices has been increased from 22 to 73. Two devices will be permanently mounted on each water rescue jet ski, while 71 wearable shark deterrents will be distributed to lifeguards working in the water.
The city has also established an emergency communication system that will immediately broadcast warnings to beachgoers and notify the Korea Coast Guard and other relevant agencies if a shark is spotted.
Shark bycatch rises to 46
According to the East Sea Fisheries Research Institute under the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS), sharks had been caught as bycatch 46 times off the East Coast as of June 20 this year.
That compares with 12 cases during the same period last year and 13 during the same period in 2024.
"This year, we will once again thoroughly inspect beach safety facilities and reinforce our on-site response system to create a safe summer beach where residents and tourists can visit with peace of mind,” said Eom Geum-mun, head of Gangneung's Tourism Policy Division.
A great white shark that was caught in a stationary fishing net about 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) east of Imwon Port in Samcheok, Gangwon, in July 2023.EAST SEA COAST GUARD
On June 20, a 2-meter salmon shark was caught in a stationary fishing net near Samcheok Port. Earlier, on June 9, another shark measuring 1.8 meters was caught near the same port. It was later identified as a great white shark, the species made famous by the film “Jaws” (1975).
In response, Gangwon’s Sokcho will install an additional 200-meter shark-prevention net at Cheongho Beach before swimming season begins, supplementing existing nets spanning 700 meters at Sokcho Beach, 300 meters at Sokcho Lighthouse Beach and 200 meters at Oeongchi Beach.
Gangwon’s Donghae also plans to install a 300-meter net at Mangsang Beach and a 200-meter net at Chuam Beach in early July.
"The nets being installed this time can block not only sharks but also jellyfish," said Lee Jin-hwa, an official with Donghae's Tourism Division. "We will make thorough preparations so visitors to the East Coast can enjoy the beaches safely."
Workers install a shark- and jellyfish-prevention net at Sokcho Beach in Gangwon in July 2023.YONHAP
Warmer waters and more warm-water prey drive shark sightings
Experts say the increasing presence of sharks, which are typically found in tropical waters, is linked to rising sea temperatures caused by climate change.
According to NIFS, the average surface water temperature along Korea's East Coast between April and June reached 16.3 degrees Celsius this year, 1.1 degrees higher than the historical average and 1.9 degrees higher than the same period last year.
Researchers also attribute the rise in shark sightings to the expanding distribution of prey species such as mackerel and Pacific bluefin tuna, in the East coast.
The amount of Pacific bluefin tuna caught off the East Coast increased from just 34 tons in 2019 to 437 tons last year.
A sign warning of shark hazards is displayed at a beach in Sokcho, GangwonSOKCHO CITY GOVERNMENT
49 shark species in Korean waters
Kim Maeng-jin, a researcher at NIFS's East Sea Fisheries Research Institute, said “Rising sea temperatures along Korea's East Coast have expanded the range of warm-water fish species such as mackerel and Pacific bluefin tuna.” He cautioned that large sharks have naturally followed their prey, making shark sightings more frequent, and urged beachgoers to exercise extra caution.
According to NIFS's "Pictorial Guidebook to Sharks of Korean Coastal Waters," published in 2023, 49 shark species are known to inhabit Korea's coastal waters. Of those, only four to five species, including the great white shark, are considered dangerous to humans.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
