Korea's Underwater Leisure Business Registration: What Diving Instructors Must Know After Coast Guard Transfer

Major Regulatory Change: Coast Guard Takes Over

On April 23, 2026, oversight of underwater leisure businesses in South Korea officially transfers from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to the Korea Coast Guard (해양경찰청). This transfer brings underwater leisure regulation under the same agency responsible for maritime safety enforcement — meaning stricter on-the-water inspections and faster enforcement action.

Who Needs to Register?

Under the Act on Safety and Promotion of Underwater Leisure Activities (수중레저활동법), anyone operating an underwater leisure business must register with the competent authority. The law defines three business types:

Education business (교육업): Teaching scuba diving, freediving, skin diving, or other underwater activities
Rental business (임대업): Renting underwater leisure equipment or vessels to participants
Transport business (운송업): Transporting participants on underwater leisure vessels to dive sites

This means any diving instructor who charges for teaching must be either a registered business operator or a registered employee (종사자) of a registered dive center.

Enforcement Actions Already Underway

In February 2026, the Busan Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries and Busan Coast Guard launched a joint inspection campaign targeting unregistered underwater leisure businesses from February 19 to March 31, 2026. The campaign specifically focused on indoor pool scuba and skin diving instruction operating without proper registration.

Authorities emphasized that unregistered operations create safety management gaps and encouraged voluntary registration before the Coast Guard takes over enforcement.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Operating an unregistered underwater leisure business carries serious legal consequences under the Act:

Criminal penalty: Imprisonment of up to 3 years or a fine of up to 30 million won (Article 27)
Administrative fines: Various violations carry fines of up to 1 million won (Article 32)
Tax penalties: Operating without business registration also triggers penalties under the Value-Added Tax Act, including 1% surcharge on unreported revenue

What Freelance Instructors Should Do

Many diving instructors in Korea work as freelancers or part-time instructors alongside other jobs, often without formal business registration. After April 23, these instructors have two legal options:

Option 1: Register Your Own Business

Register a business entity (사업자등록) with the National Tax Service
Apply for underwater leisure business registration (수중레저사업 등록) with your local maritime authority
Submit required documents: business plan, facility specifications, proof of qualified staff, insurance
Registration requirements include having at least one qualified underwater leisure educator per 5 participants

Option 2: Join a Registered Dive Center as an Employee

Enter into a formal employment or contractor agreement with a registered dive center
Be listed as a registered employee (종사자) on the center's business registration
Conduct all instruction under the center's registered business umbrella
This is the simpler path for part-time instructors who don't want to manage their own registration

Registration Process

Applications can be submitted through the Government 24 portal (정부24, gov.kr) or directly at the relevant maritime police station. Required documents include:

Application form
Articles of incorporation (for corporations)
Business premises specification sheet (사업장 명세서) including number of employees and location
Proof of meeting registration standards (qualified instructors, safety equipment, insurance)

The registration fee is minimal, and processing typically takes 7-14 business days.

Key Takeaway

With the Korea Coast Guard now in charge, enforcement is expected to become more aggressive. Instructors who have been operating informally should take steps to formalize their status — either by registering independently or affiliating with a registered center — before inspections intensify. The legal risks of non-compliance (up to 3 years imprisonment) far outweigh the administrative effort of registration.