South Korean perceptions of Australian beach safety Signage: Insights and Evidence-Based recommendations for Improvement

• South Koreans are the 5th largest international visitors to Australia and are overrepresented in drownings. • Most had little or no understanding of Australian beach safety flags or signage. • Seeing others in the water encouraged them to enter, even when signs the sign says dangerous currents . • Regardless of the warning message, red signs warn much more effectively than yellow signs. • Some beach safety signage terms are inaccurately translated in Korean when using Google Translate. Australia recorded 150 coastal drownings with approximately 9,000 rescues in 2023/2024. Over the period 2013–2023, 30% of the drowning deaths recorded were of people born overseas. South Koreans, who make up the 5th largest group of international visitors, are found to be overrepresented in these figures. Multiple safety strategies aim to prevent these incidents; this study explores South Koreans’ understanding of Australian beach safety signs and identifies ways to improve signage. Research Method. This study utilised an online survey consisting of closed and open questions relating to demographics, intended behaviours at beaches and interpretation of signage. 163 university students studying in South Korea participated in this study. The statistical data were analysed, using descriptive analysis in SPSS, and the textual data were analysed using deductive code analysis in NVivo. Only about 14% understood red and yellow safety flags correctly and the majority did not understand the signage terms including rip currents, and the Korean translation, iallyu. Over 90% indicated they would not enter the water when seeing the dangerous current sign, but the presence of other people in the water encouraged about half of participants to go into the water. All red-coloured signs denoting no swimming were equally perceived as a higher hazard, while a yellow sign, despite the message, beach closed, and dangerous current were perceived as lower . Implications. This study proposes how signage terms in English could be revised for better translatability, while suggesting that red colours should be included on signage to indicate greater hazard.