"Beware of Taxis: Overcharging and Rough Driving Spark Travel Advisory for Korea"

Japanese Netizens Say "Korean Driving Culture Is Generally Rough"
Japanese Media Also Highlight Overcharging by Taxi Drivers

Recently, as Japanese tourists visiting Korea have been involved in a series of traffic accidents, criticism of Korea’s traffic culture has emerged in Japan. Japanese internet users have been sharing their concerns and experiences regarding the driving behavior of Korean taxi and bus drivers. On November 13, numerous comments were posted on Yahoo Japan under articles about recent traffic accidents involving Japanese tourists in Korea.

On the 4th, following a series of recent accidents, a large-scale traffic crackdown was conducted near Nonhyeon Elementary School in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, a designated school zone. Police officers were cracking down on drunk driving and vehicles violating stop lines. Photo by Yonhap News

This comes as several incidents involving Japanese tourists in traffic accidents have occurred in Korea recently. On November 2, a man in his 30s, surnamed Seo, was driving under the influence for about one kilometer when he struck a Japanese mother and daughter who were crossing a crosswalk near Heunginjimun Intersection in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The accident resulted in the death of the mother, who was in her 50s, and left the daughter, in her 30s, with injuries including fractured ribs. In another case in mid-October, a taxi driven by a man in his 70s crossed the center line and collided with an oncoming vehicle on a road in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. It was reported that a 9-month-old Japanese baby, who was riding in the taxi with their parents, was left in critical condition as a result of the accident.

In the comments section of the article, local internet users shared their own traffic-related experiences while traveling in Korea. In particular, many users commented on the taxi accident involving the 9-month-old Japanese baby, expressing that “Korean taxis are too rough.” One user wrote, “I had heard that Korean taxis were rough, but after riding them a few times, I was truly at a loss for words at how rough they were. All four Japanese people who rode with me got carsick.” There were also opinions that not only taxi drivers but also bus drivers in Korea drove aggressively.

Seo Mo, a drunk driver who struck a Japanese mother and daughter in downtown Seoul, killing the mother in her 50s, is attending a detention hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 5th. Photo by Yonhap News

Amidst this, in September, Japan’s TBS News aired a major report on overcharging practices by taxi drivers in Korea. At the time, when Japanese reporters asked a taxi driver the fare from Myeongdong to Hongdae, the driver quoted 45,000 won. The actual fare for that distance is around 12,000 won, meaning the driver asked for nearly four times the normal price simply because they were foreigners. TBS reported, “According to Seoul Metropolitan Government, the areas where most cases of overcharging are reported are tourist hotspots such as Myeongdong, Gangnam, and Itaewon,” adding, “The city is strengthening crackdowns and tourist surveys, and is urging victims to report any incidents.” Screenshots from the broadcast also spread on Korean online communities. In response, Korean internet users commented, “Because of the actions of some taxi drivers, the entire industry gets a bad reputation,” and “It tarnishes the Korean Wave.”