Taiwanese Media Mentions Jeju Tourist Misconduct, Saying "Makes Chinese People Despised"

Photos and videos of a Chinese tourist defecating in the middle of downtown Jeju have been posted online. [Photo source=Online Community]

Taiwanese media highlighted the misconduct of Chinese tourists on the streets of Jeju city.

On the 20th, Taiwan's Liberty Times reported on news from Korea about a photo and video showing a child, presumed to be a Chinese tourist, defecating on the streets of a Chinese city, causing controversy. The outlet sarcastically noted, "Many Chinese always claim to be a great nation with '5,000 years of history and culture,' but it is said that Chinese people, regardless of age or gender, frequently urinate."

The media continued, "Such barbaric behavior has led people worldwide to despise Chinese people," adding, "Recently in Jeju, an incident was reported where tourists presumed to be Chinese allowed children to pull down their pants and defecate on crowded streets, sparking anger among local residents."

The day before, the outlet published a report titled "Is Jeju becoming a Chinese island?" stating that everything seemed to have changed since the announcement in 2008 allowing visa-free travel to China. The media explained, "Since 2008, Chinese nationals have been able to stay in Jeju for 30 days without a visa, making Jeju an instant popular overseas travel destination for Chinese tourists," and "Chinese capital has also poured in massively. As of the end of 2019, land purchases for building theme parks, casinos, high-rise hotels, and apartments have continued in Jeju." Foreign-owned land in Jeju totals 22,548,255㎡, with Chinese owners holding the largest share at 43.5%.

The media particularly criticized, "The Chinese Greenland Group has turned Jeju into a mess." As Chinese investment in Jeju has become active, resorts and golf courses have been emerging throughout the island, with the Chinese developer Greenland Group among them. The outlet stated, "The unfinished Jeju projects appear as if they are incomplete, with buildings as empty as the structures themselves." Jeju Greenland International Hospital was completed in July 2017 and applied for an operating permit. Jeju granted the hospital a business license in December 2017 on the condition that it only provide medical services to foreigners. However, Greenland International Hospital filed a lawsuit dissatisfied with this condition but lost the case.

The media also said, "Korea's low immigration threshold is attracting many Chinese." After a certain period, investment immigrants can enjoy the same education and health insurance as Korean nationals. Foreigners who have held permanent residency for more than three years can also gain voting rights in local elections. The outlet reported, "Since this system was implemented, the proportion of foreigners migrating to Korea by nationality has been heavily skewed, with Chinese accounting for over 70%, causing significant problems. In response, Korea announced in 2023 that it would raise the investment immigration criteria."