Copper prices remain high, number of stolen Korean bridge plaques increasing

With the rise in copper prices, non-ferrous metals are becoming the new target for thieves in South Korea, with thefts of copper nameplates from bridges increasing. According to the Korean daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo, as of the 8th, authorities discovered that 47 copper nameplates installed on small bridges in eight villages in Samcheok, Gangwon Province, had gone missing. Replacing these nameplates is estimated to cost around 100 million Korean won, posing a significant financial burden on local governments.