Gyeonggi Province has apprehended one illegal business operator and 40 drivers who ran unauthorized taxi services using private vehicles in the Icheon and Gwangju areas, earning illicit profits totaling over 100 million won. The suspects have been referred to the prosecution.
The Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police Unit, in cooperation with the Yeoju Branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office, conducted an intensive investigation into illegal paid transportation services (known as “call-taxi jumping”) over a period of one year and two months, from September last year to October this year.
Illegal paid transportation refers to the act of transporting passengers for a fee without a passenger vehicle transportation business license. Such operations can pose serious risks, as they do not involve vehicle safety inspections, insurance coverage, or driver qualification verification.
In particular, if an accident occurs, passengers are not eligible for insurance benefits, and some unqualified drivers have prior convictions for violent crimes, raising concerns about the possibility of secondary offenses. These illegal activities are considered a direct threat to the lives and property of local residents.
This investigation utilized various techniques, including undercover mystery shopper operations, stakeouts, and the execution of account and communication warrants.
The investigation revealed that suspect A, an illegal paid transportation operator in the Icheon area, disguised the business under the name “○○ Rent-a-Car” and ran a call center without an actual office, recruiting drivers to engage in transportation work. From March 2021 to June this year, when passengers in the Icheon area called the call center to request a taxi, the calls were forwarded to a mobile phone registered in the suspect’s name. The suspect then relayed the passenger’s location and contact information to unlicensed drivers via radio, continuing the illegal call taxi operation. The suspect collected monthly payments of 400,000 won from each driver, accumulating a total of 175.3 million won in illicit gains over five years.
Among those apprehended, some had prior convictions for violent crimes such as assault and rape. Twelve individuals continued illegal paid transportation activities even after being previously sentenced to fines or granted prosecutorial suspension of indictment for similar offenses.
The current Passenger Transport Service Act stipulates that those who operate illegal taxi services or provide private vehicles for paid transportation may face up to two years in prison or fines of up to 20 million won.
The head of the Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police Unit stated, “Illegal call-taxi operations are criminal acts that threaten the lives of residents by using unlicensed drivers and vehicles that have not undergone safety verification. We urge the public to refrain from using illegal call taxis and to report any suspicious activity at any time. We will continue to thoroughly investigate and pursue illegal paid transportation to create a safer traffic environment.”
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