As maritime tourism expands, national fishing ports across South Korea increasingly face ecological challenges, including illegally dumped garbage and marine debris caused by car camping and influxes of tourists. While individual community efforts often fall short of managing these large-scale environmental issues, institutional collaborations offer a viable path forward. On 30th May, the Shincheonji Volunteer Group Busan-Gyeongnam Western Branch established a formal framework for coastal preservation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Cheonseong Fishing Village on Gadeok Island, Busan. The partnership aims to institutionalise marine purification and revitalise the local fishing community.

Cheonseong Port on Gadeok Island is a state-designated national fishing port currently being developed as a multi-functional complex integrating fisheries, disaster prevention, and tourism. Under the newly signed agreement, the two organisations will launch coordinated, systematic initiatives to protect this vital coastal infrastructure:

A key highlight of the partnership is a joint mural project designed to visually upgrade the fishing village. By painting the unique history, local heritage, and community stories of Cheonseong Port onto the village walls, the project aims to create an aesthetically pleasing environment befitted a national fishing port. The initiative is expected to establish Cheonseong Port as a highly approachable, sustainable tourism destination steeped in local storytelling.

Jong-seong Gu, the head of the Cheonseong Fishing Village, expressed gratitude during the ceremony, noting that managing environmental issues solely through the local fishing community had reached its limits. “Having the Shincheonji Volunteer Group systematically cooperate on both environmental cleanup and the village mural project provides tremendous reassurance,” Gu shared.

On the day of the MOU signing, the Busan-Gyeongnam Western Branch carried out an Ocean's Day campaign as part of the "Nature, Be Green!" project, targetting tourists and residents visiting Cheonseong Port. To raise awareness about the importance of marine protection, the event featured live busking performances and a traditional Korean Tuho (arrow-throwing) play experience booth.

Regarding the initiative, Yo-han Kim, the Vice Branch Head of the Busan-Gyeongnam Western Branch, stated, “This will be an important first step in protecting the beautiful nature of Cheonseong Port and easing the worries of local fishermen.” He added that the branch aims to take the lead in transforming Cheonseong Port into a clean, story-driven national fishing port by combining regular purification activities, mural projects, and cultural campaigns.