Photo courtesy of CHOI CHOONG-IL: Retrieved from koreajoongangdaily.joins.com
Stinky ginger-colored algae have appeared on the shorelines of Jeju Island, turning emerald-blue waters an unpleasant dark orange.
The arrival of the algae, named sargassum horneri, harms the natural scenery and distresses local commercial fishers.
On Monday, the three-meter-long (9.8-foot-long) algae covered the white sand at Iho Tewoo Beach. Volunteers removed 500 large bulk bags of sargassum in just a single day.
The fishy aroma emitted as the algae decay on land makes the job even more disagreeable.
Iho Tewoo Beach in the northern part of the island was not the only victim. The algae’s presence is an island-wide problem.
On May 16, sargassum arrived on the coastline in Aewol-eup, in the island’s northwest.
Local fishers were stranded on land for fear that their boats could suffer engine failure if the algae got tangled in their motors.