Coast Guard ship mobilized to supply water for drought-hit Gangneung

▲ The Coast Guard's 5,000-ton Sam Bong patrol ship supplies water to fire trucks at Anin port in Gangneung, about 210 kilometers east of Seoul, on Sept. 3, 2025. (Yonhap)

▲ Fire trucks are supplied with water from the Coast Guard's 5,000-ton Sam Bong patrol ship at Anin port in Gangneung, about 210 kilometers east of Seoul, on Sept. 3, 2025. (Yonhap)

Gangneung drought-Coast Guard ship

Coast Guard ship mobilized to supply water for drought-hit Gangneung

GANGNEUNG, South Korea, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- The Coast Guard on Wednesday mobilized a patrol vessel to supply hundreds of tons of water for the drought-hit eastern coastal city of Gangneung, officials said.

The city has recently struggled with dangerously low water storage levels, prompting the government to shut off 75 percent of household water meters and close off public bathrooms and swimming pools in a bid to reduce water consumption.

As part of efforts to send water to Gangneung, the 5,000-ton Sam Bong patrol ship, capable of carrying about 600 tons of water, arrived at the city's Anin port to provide water to fire trucks on standby. The amount is enough to supply about 50 fire trucks.

The vessel will provide water to the city through Thursday before returning to its patrol mission in the East Sea.

The move is expected to help the city's water supply efforts that have relied on fire trucks and other vehicles transporting water from areas around 50 to 60 kilometers away.

The Coast Guard plans to mobilize 1,500-ton and 3,000-ton patrol vessels to supply more water to the city by next Tuesday.

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