Taxi drivers arrested over alleged tourist rip-offs
A Seoul city official cracks down on overcharging taxi drivers at Intcheon International Airport on September 15, 2014. / Yonhap
By Lee Min-hyung
Eight taxi drivers have been arrested for allegedly ripping off foreign passengers.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Thursday that the drivers allegedly had overcharged foreign tourists a total of 7.35 million won ($6,500) since July last year. Police said the drivers had inflated fares at famous tourism spots such as Myeongdong and Dongdaemun.
One of the drivers, surnamed Jeon, 50, is suspected of charging a Singaporean tourist 400,000 won ($355) for a 41-kilometer ride from Gimpo International Airport to Incheon International Airport. The sum is 10 times the normal fare.
Another driver, surnamed Sung, 34, made 2.36 million won extra by ripping off passengers from Seoul city to Incheon International Airport, according to police.
“We will expand our investigation to tourism attractions to prevent a recurrence of similar cases,” a police official said. “We are legally punishing those drivers after creating a tourist police force.”