Immediate Business Suspensions for Overcharging... Government Tightens Crackdown Ahead of Chuseok

Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Korea Tourism Organization Launch Joint Public-Private Campaign Ahead of Chuseok and Peak Autumn Season
Five-Day Business Suspension for Non-Displayed or Non-Compliant Price Lists
Thirty-Day License Suspension fo

The government carried out a public-private joint campaign at Busan Haeundae Market ahead of the Chuseok holiday and the peak autumn tourism season, aiming to eradicate overcharging and promote friendly service. Sanctions will also be strengthened for violations of price display regulations at lodging and dining establishments, as well as unfair fares charged by taxis.

A panoramic view of Busan Haeundae Traditional Market. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization conducted a public-private joint campaign here on the 22nd to eradicate overcharging and promote courteous and clean services ahead of the Chuseok holiday and the peak autumn tourism season. Haeundae District

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it conducted the second half "Korea Tourism Fair Price and Hospitality Campaign" together with the Korea Tourism Organization at Busan Haeundae Market on the 22nd. Participants included Busan Metropolitan City, the Haeundae Market Merchants' Association, the Busan Tourism Association, the Korea Hotel Association, and the Korea Foodservice Industry Association.

This campaign is the second event, following the first half proclamation ceremony held in Seoul Myeong-dong last April. Since then, the Ministry and the Organization have encouraged compliance with fair pricing and participation in hospitality within the lodging and restaurant sectors, while also monitoring by the general public to assess whether fair pricing and standards of hospitality and cleanliness are being maintained.

As of the end of August, there had been 12,806 public monitoring submissions. Reported grievances were forwarded to the relevant local governments for improvement, and 296 outstanding businesses—those rated over 4 out of 5 points for cleanliness, hospitality, and posted prices—were published on the online ‘K-Tourism Safe Map.’ In addition, a special inspection team checked a total of 230 locations in June and August, covering 32 tourist sites, 16 traditional markets, 96 restaurants, and 86 lodging facilities.

The government has also strengthened legal sanctions on overcharging in response to the increasing number of foreign tourists. Regulations were revised so that if a lodging facility or restaurant either fails to display price lists or does not adhere to posted prices, it can be immediately subjected to a five-day business suspension upon the first offense. If a taxi driver is found to have overcharged a fare, a 30-day license suspension can be imposed immediately. These regulations were implemented in lodging businesses from July 14, in foreign tourist city guesthouses and Hanok experience businesses from August 4, foodservice from September 1, and taxis from September 4, respectively.

Revisions are also underway to prevent unilateral reservation cancellations and resales by lodging facilities. The government is pushing to amend the Tourism Promotion Act, the Public Health Control Act, and the Urban-Rural Exchange Act to require lodging businesses to pre-report seasonal price ceilings and to prohibit the cancellation of confirmed reservations without legitimate reason followed by resale at higher prices.

The reporting center for complaints by inbound tourists has also been consolidated to the tourism information hotline, 1330, simplifying the response system. On this day at Haeundae Market, merchants and tourism industry stakeholders shared the public monitoring results and best practices, and distributed informational materials under the theme of "A K-Traditional Market Worth Revisiting with Fair Prices, Hospitality, and Cleanliness." Campaign participants toured the main streets of the market to check improvements and visited the "2026 Tourism Hospitality Practice Stores."

Kang Jeongwon, policy chief of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "Eradicating overcharging and promoting hospitality can only bring about tangible changes in the field when there is voluntary participation and practice from both the tourism sector and the public. We will strengthen local campaign activities so that a culture of fair prices and hospitality takes root and creates a tourism environment trusted by visitors."

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