6 unlicensed tour guides caught leading foreign tourists in Seoul
Seoul city officials conduct a spot inspection to check tour guide licenses. Courtesy of the Seoul Metropolitan Government
Seoul authorities have caught six unlicensed individuals guiding foreign tourists in popular districts such as Hongdae, Myeong-dong and Gyeongbok Palace, the city government said Thursday.
The crackdown, conducted from Oct. 15-17, targeted areas with high tourist foot traffic and involved officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, local districts, the Seoul Metropolitan Police’s mobile patrol unit and the Korea Tourist Interpreter Association.
Under Korea’s Tourism Promotion Act, only licensed tourist interpreters are permitted to guide foreign visitors. However, some travel agencies have hired unqualified guides who provide inaccurate information about history and culture or prioritize sales-oriented itineraries, raising concerns about declining tourism quality in Seoul.
Inspectors used a digital verification app on-site to check credentials, confirming 62 valid licenses and uncovering six cases of unauthorized activity. The city plans to impose fines on the unlicensed guides and levy penalties or administrative sanctions on their employers.
According to the law, first-time offenders face a fine of 1.5 million won ($1,100), which increases to 3 million won for a second offense and 5 million won for a third.
As of August, the number of foreign visitors to Korea had reached 12.3 million this year. If the trend continues, annual arrivals are expected to surpass 20 million, setting a new record.
This article is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.