Tourism Readiness Improvement Campaign Held on the 5th
In addition to ongoing training for tourism workers,
Practical measures added such as strengthening complaint response systems,
Expanding on-site inspections, and cracking down on illegal business practices
Recently, Ulleungdo, which faced public criticism due to a series of controversies such as 'fatty samgyeopsal', 'accommodation with broken air conditioning', and 'taxi overcharging', has pledged to restore tourists' trust.
'Fatty Samgyeopsal' received by YouTuber A at a restaurant in Ulleungdo. Screenshot from A's YouTube video
According to Ulleung County on August 6, the county held a campaign to improve tourism accommodation readiness at Jeodong Port the previous day, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the region's tourism image. The event was attended by officials from the county government, county council, and various organizations, who stated, "Residents and tourism businesses will continue to work together to foster a proper tourism culture and create a trustworthy tourist destination."
In addition to regularly providing training for tourism workers, Ulleung County plans to continue implementing practical measures such as strengthening the complaint response system, expanding on-site inspections, and cracking down on illegal business practices. Nam Han-gwon, the governor of Ulleung County, emphasized, "We promise to provide a more transparent and responsible tourism environment in the future."
Ulleung County held a campaign to improve tourism accommodation readiness at Jeodong Port on the 5th. Photo by Ulleung County
The controversy over overcharging on Ulleungdo began with a video uploaded by a YouTuber who recently traveled to the island. In the video, the YouTuber ordered a serving (120g) of samgyeopsal for 15,000 won at a barbecue restaurant, but was served meat that was more than half fat. It was later revealed that the meat was not samgyeopsal but front leg meat, and the restaurant was ordered to suspend operations for seven days.
The controversy was not limited to restaurants. There were also issues with accommodation services on Ulleungdo. The YouTuber stayed at a place that cost 90,000 won per night, which is expensive compared to similar accommodations in major cities that cost 40,000 to 50,000 won, yet the air conditioning did not work throughout the night. The owner took no action and did not offer an apology.
Additionally, another YouTuber raised suspicions of 'taxi overcharging', claiming that after taking a taxi on Ulleungdo, he was charged double the expected fare. In his video, he stated, "The taxi driver went in the opposite direction from the route shown on the app," and "There is no way that going the opposite way could be faster. The app estimated 23,000 won, but I was charged over 50,000 won."
As the controversy spread, Governor Nam posted on social media and the county's website on July 23, stating, "We sincerely apologize for the overall issues regarding the quality and pricing of tourism services," and promised, "We will establish strong and continuous measures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated."
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