Minister Yoonduk Kim Visits Expressway Rest Area, Says "Delayed Payments and Abuse Just the Tip of the Iceberg"

Visited Giheung Rest Area in Yongin to Inspect Operational Practices
Strict Warning to Korea Expressway Corporation for Inadequate Oversight
Discussing Fundamental Reforms to the Current Operation System

On April 9, Kim Yunduk, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, visited the Giheung Rest Area on the Gyeongbu Expressway, where he listened directly to small business owners operating inside the rest area regarding unfair practices such as delayed payments for goods by operating companies, abuse of power, and unreasonable demands for key money and facility fees. He announced a plan to fundamentally overhaul the rest area management system. Since November of last year, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has been operating a “Task Force for Overhauling the Rest Area Management System” to review measures such as implementing a direct management system that eliminates intermediary operators. The ministry plans to launch a comprehensive survey of similar cases at highway rest areas nationwide this month.

On this day, Minister Kim held a meeting with small business owners at the Giheung Rest Area to hear about cases where rest area operators have failed to pay vendors for goods in a timely manner or have unreasonably demanded key money and facility fees. These were voices from the field that had long been confined within rest areas and had not been exposed to the outside world.

Minister Kim stated, “Unfair practices and chronic problems have become deeply entrenched at rest area sites,” and added, “Ultimately, this can only result in inconvenience and harm for the public. The government will take responsibility and reform the rest areas.”

Kim Yunduk, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (second from the left), is receiving a report on the rest area operation status from Korea Expressway Corporation officials at the Gyeongbu Expressway Giheung Rest Area on the 9th. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

During the inspection, the response of Korea Expressway Corporation, which oversees and supervises rest areas, was also scrutinized. Minister Kim received a report that unfair practices by operating companies, such as non-payment for goods, have been repeated for years without any substantive corrective action such as contract termination. He remarked, “Isn’t it the case that Korea Expressway Corporation, which should be supervising and managing these operating companies, has effectively condoned and neglected these issues?” and criticized the agency for “shirking its responsibilities as a public institution that exists for the people.”

Minister Kim further commented, “The unfair practices revealed this time seem to be just the tip of the iceberg,” and added, “The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which should be supervising Korea Expressway Corporation, must also reflect deeply on this matter.” He also stated, “We will eradicate all unfair practices throughout the entire process, not only those occurring between operating companies and in-store businesses but also those related to the operation of rest areas by organizations of retired Korea Expressway Corporation employees.”

The task force, which has been operating since November of last year, is discussing fundamental reforms to the current management system, including issues such as multi-level outsourcing and excessive commission fees. The option of operating rest areas without intermediary companies is also under consideration. A comprehensive nationwide survey of similar cases at rest areas will be carried out within this month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.