"Defecating on the Street and Smoking on Buses"... What Elementary Students Said About Foreign Tourists' Behavior

Policy Suggestions Posted on Jeju Provincial Government Website
Immediate Response, Etiquette Booklets, and Signage Proposed

Elementary school students in Jeju have drawn attention by proposing policy solutions to the so-called "disruptive behaviors" of foreign tourists visiting the island.

A child presumed to be a Chinese tourist defecating in the middle of downtown Jeju Island last June. Online community capture

On July 4, students from Pyoseon Elementary School in Jeju posted a message titled "We Propose Solutions to the Etiquette Issues of Foreign Tourists" on the "Suggestions to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province" section of the Jeju Provincial Government website. In their post, the students pointed out, "The disruptive behaviors of some foreign tourists have become a problem," and specifically mentioned, "Acts such as urinating or defecating on the streets, littering, and smoking on buses are causing issues."

The students went on to explore the causes, identifying the following factors: the difficulty of reporting foreign nationals and cultural differences between countries. They also proposed several solutions that have drawn attention: a system enabling immediate response and reporting, distributing booklets or stickers to inform tourists about etiquette in Korea, and installing related signage.

According to the Jeju Provincial Police Agency, violations of basic public order by foreign visitors in Jeju are rapidly increasing. From January to May this year, out of a total of 4,136 public order violations detected in Jeju, foreigners accounted for 3,522 cases, making up more than 85%. In particular, compared to the same period last year, when there were 451 cases, the number of disorderly conduct cases this year increased by 817%. Among these, cases involving foreigners surged nearly 23 times, from 148 cases in the same period last year.

In Jeju, a special law grants the Jeju Autonomous Police the authority to request summary trials for minor offenses committed by violators. However, the amount of the related fines is set by presidential decree in accordance with the Minor Offenses Act.

Previously, last year in Jeju, photos and videos surfaced online showing a Chinese tourist apparently defecating on the street in Yeon-dong, Jeju City. The photos showed a child squatting with pants down beside a flower bed next to the sidewalk. Additionally, a video was shared of a Chinese tourist smoking in a bus seat and flicking cigarette ash out the window. Despite being warned by the bus driver, the tourist ignored the warnings but eventually threw the cigarette out the window and closed it after repeated admonishments.

Regarding this controversy, Professor Seo Kyungduk of Sungshin Women's University pointed out, "We should not simply stand by and watch; we must impose penalties for minor offenses committed by Chinese tourists so that such incidents do not happen again."