"When Two or More Chinese Gather, There Is Always a 'Villain'"... Seoul Metro's Customer Service Response Sparks Controversy

Controversy Over Derogatory Remarks About Chinese by Seoul Metro
"We Will Conduct Special Training for All Employees"

Seoul Metro apologized after causing controversy by using derogatory expressions about Chinese people while responding to a public complaint from citizens.

According to the Seoul City Response Center website on the 18th, the issue arose when the Seoul Metro Operations Headquarters' Crew Support Division responded to a complaint regarding "requests to correct excessive Chinese language announcements in palaces and on the subway."

In the response to the complaint stating that "Chinese language announcements are noisy and uncomfortable," it was written, "When two or more Chinese people gather, villains who are noisy and cause disturbances often appear," and "Rather, announcements in Chinese are broadcast to guide and educate about disorder, and etiquette announcements asking passengers to maintain order inside the train are broadcast, making it necessary to convey messages about order."

Regarding the complaint requesting "announcements to be made only in English," the response stated, "We will review once again whether announcements can be made only in Korean and English in the future."

Controversial Seoul Metro Public Complaint Response. Seoul City Response Center Website

The response was made publicly available online for anyone to view. However, there were criticisms that it was inappropriate for a public enterprise under Seoul City to use derogatory expressions targeting foreigners of a specific nationality.

As the controversy escalated, Seoul Metro issued a statement apologizing, saying, "We apologize for including inappropriate words and content about Chinese tourists during the complaint response process."

The company added, "To prevent similar cases in the future, we will conduct special training for all employees, including the complaint response department, and improve the system so that department heads directly respond to complaints or must verify the content." It further stated, "We will do our best to create a subway usage environment that is more convenient for foreign tourists and foster an organizational culture that recognizes diversity."

Regarding the response about "reviewing the possibility of making announcements only in Korean and English," the company denied the statement, saying, "We have not reviewed such a plan."

Netizens reacted with various comments such as, "Disliking Chinese people is an individual's freedom, but expressing it in official work can lower the dignity and standards of Koreans," "Even if it is true, it is somewhat inappropriate to say it publicly," "It is not appropriate to write comments on a public bulletin board about things that should have been said in private," and "There are times when conveying facts as they are can cause problems."