Cover photo: Korean Jinhyuk Yang at the ISA in Puerto Rico. Photo: ISA/Evans

The South Korean government has just decreed that any surfer who is found practicing the sport while drunk will be fined nearly $700, the Korean Times reported and several foreign media outlets echoed.

The parameter to take into account is 0,03% blood alcohol limit.

The measure is actually an extension of the existing one for those who drive jet skis or light boats and also applies to other non-motorized vessels such as kayaks or surfboards.

“The Coast Guard pushed for the rule to be revised amid a rise in accidents involving intoxicated surfers,” they said, adding: “Experts say drinking alcohol before surfing or kayaking could increase the risk of accidents by dulling the senses and negatively affecting a rider’s judgment and reaction time.”

This measure is presumed to be the first to establish something like this in the world of surfing.