Complaints have surfaced again this autumn over residents spending entire days gathering acorns at Seoul Children's Grand Park, a grievance that resurfaces every fall along with the season's acorns and chestnuts.
According to the Seoul Facilities Corporation on the 29th, one resident complained that "people from all over the neighborhood are pouring their passion into picking up acorns that have fallen in Children's Grand Park, from early morning until late at night," adding that "at night they rely on cellphone flashlights to gather acorns."
The complainant continued: "They are obsessed with finding acorns, moving fallen leaves one by one with tree branches as if on a treasure hunt, and on weekends even young children join in the frenzy of acorn collecting." The resident added, "Squirrels getting through the winter may not matter much, and the small pleasures of citizens may matter more, but I hope acorn picking is done while keeping some sense of moderation."
The complainant also claimed that the banners reading "Do not pick up acorns," usually visible around this time of year, have not appeared this year. In response, the corporation said, "Children's Grand Park is currently broadcasting periodic announcements prohibiting the gathering of nuts and fruit in order to guide visitors on this behavior," adding that "along with this, we completed the posting of banners on the prohibition of collection as of the 21st, focused on areas where unauthorized gathering occurs frequently." The corporation also said that if visitors report anyone gathering without permission to the park's control room, staff will be dispatched to take action.
Picking up acorns can bring a fine
Unauthorized gathering of acorns and other nuts and fruit inside Children's Grand Park is designated as a prohibited act under the Act on Urban Parks and Green Areas. Article 49, Paragraph 1, Item 6 of the law bans acts that seriously hinder the management of urban parks or green areas, as specified by presidential decree. Article 50, Item 7 of the enforcement decree of the same law names the unauthorized gathering of flowers and fruit from plants as one such act.
Anyone who gathers flowers or fruit from plants without permission in an urban park can be fined 50,000 won under the urban parks and green areas law. Stealing forest products from forest land can bring up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won under the Creation and Management of Forest Resources Act.
