South Korean authorities demolished an illegal building and removed waste from an uninhabited island inside the Uiamho reservoir on May 17, 2026 [1].
The operation targeted a structure used by fishermen on a national river spawning site. The removal follows media reports that exposed the illegal presence of the building in a protected area, prompting the local government to take enforcement action.
Lee Sang-il, the head of the Chuncheon City Construction Division, formally initiated the administrative execution at 1:12 p.m. [1]. The process involved a demolition crew tasked with dismantling the facility and clearing the surrounding area of debris.
Due to the location of the island, heavy machinery could not access the site. The crew had to perform the demolition manually, transporting materials and waste across the reservoir. A member of the demolition crew said the site included equipment where lines were connected to heat pipes using gas [1].
The demolition was necessary to restore the ecological integrity of the spawning site. Because the structure was built without authorization, the city had to deploy specialized teams to ensure the complete removal of the illegal installation, and its associated waste [1].
Local officials said the operation was conducted to prevent further environmental degradation of the Uiamho internal island. The removal of the structure marks the end of a period of unauthorized use by local fishing interests who had established the base on the uninhabited land [1].
“"13시 12분 하천구역 내 불법 시설물에 대한 행정대집행을 시작합니다."”
This enforcement action highlights the challenges local governments face in monitoring and protecting remote ecological zones. The reliance on manual labor due to equipment access limitations suggests that illegal developments in protected river areas can be costly and difficult to remediate once established.
