Biting the hand that rescues you: Coast Guard officers injured saving dog after fall from seaside cliff in Jeju

Coast Guard officers rescue a pet dog that fell into the sea near Sojeongbang Falls in Seogwipo, Jeju, on May 27. [SEOGWIPO COAST GUARD] A pet dog that plunged off a seaside cliff in Jeju was rescued by Coast Guard officers on Wednesday. The dog had been walking with its owner near Sojeongbang Falls in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, when it fell about 50 meters (164 feet) down a cliff at around 9:30 a.m., according to the Seogwipo Coast Guard on Thursday. Related Article Animal rights groups focus on bullfighting policies ahead of June 3 local elections Animal rights activists call for closure of legal loophole allowing abusers to reclaim custody of abused pets Animal shelter chief fined for pocketing adoption subsidies Rescue officers and a coastal rescue boat dispatched from the Seogwipo Coast Guard found the dog isolated on rocks near the shoreline. After determining that the rescue boat could not safely approach the rocks directly, rescuers entered the water themselves and used a powered rescue board to reach the stranded dog. The dog — terrified and highly agitated from the fall — bit the hands of two rescue workers during the operation. The rescuers also suffered scrapes from the rocks as the dog reportedly resisted aggressively while they approached. Rescuers eventually managed to calm the dog and safely transfer it onto the rescue boat. The injured rescue workers were taken to a hospital immediately after completing the mission, where they received rabies prevention treatment and care for their wounds. This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY JANG GU-SEUL [lee.jiwon10@joongang.co.kr]