Gyeonggi Province will begin cracking down on illegal lodging businesses operating through online shared accommodation platforms.
The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police Unit announced on September 18 that it will conduct a focused crackdown from October 1 to 17, targeting unregistered businesses operating illegal lodging services in officetels and other locations via online shared accommodation platforms.
The Special Judicial Police Unit explained that this operation aims to curb the unchecked spread of illegal lodging businesses through online platforms and to prevent damage to the existing lodging industry. The crackdown will focus on 12 municipalities with a high concentration of lodging businesses, including Suwon, Bucheon, Seongnam, and Goyang.
Poster for Crackdown on Illegal Lodging Activities Using Online Platforms by Gyeonggi-do Special Judicial Police Unit
The main targets of the investigation include: businesses operating multiple rooms; businesses that continue operations despite administrative orders such as closure issued by the relevant authorities; and businesses suspected of illegal activities among those that have been operating for a long period or have a large number of recent user reviews.
Under the current Public Health Control Act, unregistered lodging businesses operating without reporting to the relevant authorities face up to two years of imprisonment or a fine of up to 20 million won. Businesses that continue to operate after receiving a closure order face up to one year of imprisonment or a fine of up to 10 million won.
Ki Ido, head of the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police Unit, stated, "Illegal lodging businesses put customers' lives at risk by operating unlawfully. Through this crackdown, we aim to eradicate illegal activities and establish a safe lodging culture. We will respond firmly to illegal acts and will not compromise when it comes to the safety of our residents."
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