SEOUL: A series of high-profile overcharging incidents is raising fresh concerns over whether South Korea’s tourism infrastructure is keeping pace with its growing international reputation.
The latest case involved a Taiwanese tourist who said he was charged nearly 700,000 won (US$450) for a taxi ride from eastern Seoul to Incheon Airport – roughly 10 times the usual fare.
The tourist said on social media that he used Uber on May 30 to travel from the neighbourhood of Jayang-dong in Seoul’s Gwangjin District to Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 2.
He initially entered Seoul Station as his destination before changing it to the airport during the trip, expecting the additional fare to be charged automatically through the Uber app.
Instead, the driver allegedly asked him to make a separate payment using the in-car card terminal upon arrival at the airport. Pressed for time before his flight, the traveller said he paid 690,800 won, including a 66,000 won toll charge.
A typical taxi fare for the same route, including tolls, is around 70,000 won.
Uber later said the driver had agreed to refund the amount the tourist paid through the in-car terminal, with the driver reportedly explaining that an extra zero had been mistakenly entered during payment. The tourist said he had reported the case to the authorities and was awaiting the refund process through his credit card company and Uber.
The incident is not an isolated case.
In Busan, another tourist recently reported being charged 80,000 won for a roughly 15-minute taxi ride between Haeundae and Gwangalli Beach after the driver allegedly entered the fare manually instead of relying on the taximeter.
Seoul has also recorded cases in which drivers failed to activate taximeters, improperly applied out-of-city surcharges or collected fares exceeding the displayed amount. In one case in December, a taxi driver was fined after charging 56,000 won for a trip from Gimpo Airport to western Seoul despite the meter showing 32,600 won.
According to the Korea Tourism Organisation, South Korea received more than 2.02 million foreign visitors in April, up 18.8 per cent from a year earlier. Chinese travellers accounted for the largest share, followed by visitors from Japan, Taiwan and the United States.
The taxi cases are part of a broader pattern of complaints over unfair pricing and service practices facing foreign visitors as South Korea’s tourism market rebounds.
Tourist complaints filed in Seoul rose 66.6 per cent in 2025 to 898 cases, according to the Korea Tourism Organisation, accounting for more than half of all tourism-related complaints nationwide.
Shopping-related complaints were the most common, with 398 cases, followed by taxis with 309.
Separately, Seoul’s QR-code taxi complaint system for foreign visitors received 487 reports during the second half of 2025 alone, with more than one-third filed in December.
In Busan, where demand surged around a major BTS concert, tourism complaints rose in May to 185 cases – more than three-quarters of the total filed throughout all of 2025.
More than 80 per cent of those complaints came from foreign visitors.
Most involved accommodation providers, with travellers reporting hotels and guesthouses cancelling reservations before relisting rooms at sharply higher prices or imposing excessive cancellation penalties after demand surged following the concert announcement.
Taxi complaints, including refusal to use meters and reckless driving, also appeared among the reported cases.
In response, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and local governments have launched an initiative encouraging hotels and guesthouses to adopt transparent pricing and fair reservation, cancellation and refund policies.
In Busan, special judicial police officers conducted inspections of accommodation providers near concert venues, transportation hubs and major tourist districts, checking for illegal lodging operations, price-related violations and sanitation standards.
A separate joint task force involving the culture, interior, health, tax, police and fair trade authorities has been inspecting hotels to ensure businesses honour advertised prices and comply with consumer protection rules.
Taxi oversight has also been strengthened. Seoul expanded its multilingual QR-code reporting system in 2025, allowing foreign passengers to report unfair fares or service issues by scanning QR codes displayed inside licensed taxis.
Officials say improving complaint channels and increasing inspections are intended to create a safer and more reliable environment for international visitors as South Korea seeks to attract more tourists beyond its pre-pandemic levels. - The Korea Herald/ANN
