Even with announcements in Chinese... Tourists litter cigarette butts at Seongsan Ilchulbong

Some Chinese Tourists Visiting Han Cause 'Mol-sangsik' Controversy
Smoking and Tossing Butts at Seongsan Ilchulbong
Jaywalking Boldly Despite Police Crackdown

Some inconsiderate behaviors of certain Chinese tourists visiting Jeju Island have become a topic of discussion. They have been smoking in non-smoking areas, carelessly discarding cigarette butts, and littering in various places, causing public displeasure.

On the 2nd, Channel A reported that some Chinese tourists smoked and carelessly discarded cigarette butts at Seongsan Ilchulbong, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. Despite repeated announcements in Chinese and signs stating that smoking in non-smoking areas may result in fines, they continued to smoke without regard.

A staff member A from the management office said in a media interview that a significant number of smokers were Chinese. A said, "I don't know if they didn't hear or pretended not to hear," and claimed, "When complainants come and say 'that person is smoking,' they are all Chinese." In fact, out of 12 cigarette butts picked up from the park floor, 5 were Chinese cigarettes. Since many smokers use cigarettes from other countries instead of Chinese brands, the actual number of Chinese tourists smoking at Seongsan Ilchulbong is expected to be higher.

As complaints about Chinese tourists continued, Jeju police conducted a 'foreigners' basic order crackdown' on the 25th of last month, but it was ineffective. Even during police enforcement, they continued inconsiderate behaviors such as jaywalking. The Chinese tourists caught during the crackdown reportedly expressed their grievances by saying things like "I didn't know it was illegal," "I did it unknowingly, so it's unfair to be fined," and "Why are only Chinese being targeted?"

A police official said, "When talking with the foreigners caught, many cases seem to be due to cultural differences rather than malice," and added, "I believe that if guides simply explain basic order violations such as jaywalking to the foreign tourists they are responsible for in advance, it could change a lot."

Meanwhile, according to Korean tourism statistics, China was the country that visited Korea the most in April. In April, 411,331 Chinese tourists visited Korea, an increase of 288% compared to the same month last year (105,967 visitors).