Snail foragers' annual death toll rises for three years straight

More than 30 people have died while foraging for daseulgi — small, freshwater snails popular in Korean cuisine — in rivers and valleys over the past three summers, with the annual death toll rising each year, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on Wednesday. 

Seven deaths were recorded in 2023, followed by 11 in 2024 and 14 in 2025, adding up to a total of 32 victims in three years.

By month, August accounted for the highest share of fatalities with 16 deaths, or 50 percent of the total, followed by June with 9 and July with 7. 

Daseulgi are typically found in shallow riverbeds and valley streams, and foragers wade into the water, often on uneven, slippery terrain. Water levels can also rise suddenly in summer due to upstream rainfall, catching foragers off guard.

North Gyeongsang recorded the most deaths by region with 10, or 31.3 percent of the total, followed by South Gyeongsang with 6, North Chungcheong with 5, Gangwon with 4, North Jeolla with 3, South Chungcheong with 2 and Gyeonggi and Daejeon with 1 each. 

People in their 60s and older accounted for 81.3 percent of all fatalities, or 26 of the 32 deaths.

In response, the ministry has prepared and distributed a set of safety guidelines, which urge the public to “refrain from foraging after drinking or after dark and to wear a life jacket and go with others when foraging.”

BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]