The Queen Jenuvia 2, a 26,546-tonne passenger ferry operating on the Jeju–Mokpo route, ran aground near Jokdo in Sinan County on 19 November, halting its evening voyage with 267 people aboard.

The grounding occurred at approximately 8:17 p.m., when the vessel veered off course and struck a reef about 3 km west of the uninhabited island. The hull tilted around 15 degrees but remained stable, and no flooding or fire was reported. Following an onboard announcement, passengers put on life jackets and moved to the upper decks, with vulnerable groups starting the evacuation first.

Conditions were calm, marked by northwest winds of 4–6 m/s and waves of 0.5–1 m.

Coast Guard units deployed 17 patrol boats, four rescue vessels, and one aircraft from 8:44 p.m. Rescuers used flares to direct passengers to waiting rescue boats. By 11:15 p.m., all 246 passengers had been transported to Mokpo. The 21 crew members stayed aboard to assist with towing preparations. Several passengers reported minor injuries, including back pain and fatigue.

President Lee Jae-myung, who was traveling in the Middle East at the time, instructed authorities to prevent casualties and maintain full transparency in the response.

As rescue operations concluded, attention shifted to identifying the cause of the accident. An investigation confirmed that the vessel had been operating in automatic navigation mode while passing through a narrow channel near Jangsando. The navigation officer, who was responsible for the watch, was found to have been distracted by a mobile phone, which delayed a required course change for the approach to Mokpo. The captain was not on the bridge at the time. Investigators reported that nearly half of the hull ended up on the island as a result of the delayed maneuver. The Coast Guard is preparing criminal charges over operational negligence.

The Queen Jenuvia 2, registered in South Korea and in service since December 2021, is certified to carry up to 1,010 passengers and 3,552 t of cargo.