Chinese Tourist Caught Smoking on Jeju Bus... Seo Kyung-duk Calls for Misdemeanor Penalty

"Lack of Global Citizenship Awareness...
Inconsiderate Behavior Must Be Stopped"

Recently, controversy has arisen after a passenger, presumed to be a Chinese tourist, was caught smoking on a city bus in Jeju Island. Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women's University has strongly called for punishment in response.

A passenger, presumed to be a Chinese tourist, throwing a cigarette out the window. Photo by Seokyeongdeok Professor

On April 28, Professor Seo addressed the issue on social media, referring to a video circulating online under the title "Is this for real? A Chinese tourist in Jeju smokes on the bus." He stated, "The video clearly shows a female passenger sitting in her seat, smoking a cigarette, and flicking the ashes out the window." He added, "Another passenger shouted, 'I was wondering where the cigarette smell was coming from. What era do you think this is? Tell her to get off the bus.'"

He continued, "The bus driver briefly stopped the vehicle, approached the passenger, and warned her, 'You cannot smoke here.' In response, the passenger threw the cigarette out the window and closed it."

Professor Seo also mentioned a previous incident last year in which a child, believed to be Chinese, defecated on a street in downtown Jeju, while a woman, presumed to be a family member, did nothing to stop it, sparking controversy. He said, "In Jeju, inappropriate behavior by Chinese tourists has become a problem."

Professor Seo argued, "This is due to a lack of global citizenship among Chinese people." He pointed out, "Chinese tourists need to reflect on why they are not welcomed and are criticized in countries around the world." He emphasized, "There must be penalties for such inconsiderate actions as misdemeanors to prevent these incidents from happening again."