Overcharged tourists to get compensation

By Nam Hyun-woo

Tourists overcharged in seven special tourist zones in Seoul can be compensated for their losses by up to 300,000 won ($281) from this month, a tourism association said Wednesday.

The Seoul Tourism Association (STA), a non-profit umbrella association of tourist agencies, said it will offer compensation to tourists who suffer unfair losses at accommodations, restaurants and shopping areas in the seven zones.

The tour zones are the Itaewon, Myeongdong, Namdaemun (Sungnyemun Gate) shopping districts, Bukchang-dong, Dongdaemun, Jongno and Cheonggye, Da-dong and Mugyo-dong.

Foreigners who were overcharged in those zones can report it to the call center of the Seoul Tourist Information Center (070-4923-9136,7) or the Dasan 120 Call Center.

STA officials will conduct on-site inspections and decide whether the report was valid or not for losses less than 50,000 won.

For losses more than 50,000 won, the STA committee will review the validity of reports. There are 113 officials policing the tourist sites in Seoul, according to the association.

Since the STA is non-binding, it will help victims to get full refunds or advise shops to pay back gains they unfairly reaped. It will otherwise pay for losses out of its 80 million-won fund raised by itself and tourist agencies in the seven zones. The association aims to increase the fund to 100 million won.

To verify a report, tourists should have evidence such as a receipt.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government pushed for compensating tourists for rip-offs last year, but it asked the STA for cooperation because compensation of the victims with taxpayers’ money was seen as improper.

A Japanese tourist on Jan. 20, bought a pack of seasoned laver worth 52,500 won in the Nandaemun shopping district, but found that the same pack was selling for 37,500 won at another shop. The tourist reported it to the Myeongdong tourist information center and reclaimed the difference, 15,000 won, the same day.

“The compensation is the result of a successful cooperation between the city government and a private organization,” said Kim Dong-yup from the STA. “More tourists will likely be satisfied with this system and a self-policing effect is also expected within the tourist industry.”