Say Goodbye to Taxi Worries in Seoul! QR Reporting System for International Tourists
Say Goodbye to Taxi Worries in Seoul! QR Reporting System for International Tourists
Ever worried about taxi scams while traveling abroad? Getting overcharged or refused service in an unfamiliar city can easily spoil your trip. But in Seoul, you can now put those worries aside!
Seoul City is launching a new 'QR Survey' system for international tourists starting July 2, 2025. This initiative aims to ensure everyone visiting Seoul can use taxis more conveniently and safely.
What's New? The QR Reporting System Explained
This new QR survey system begins at the international departure gates of Incheon and Gimpo International Airports. Seoul City will distribute business card-sized survey forms to tourists. These cards feature photos of Seoul's beautiful landmarks, along with a survey QR code translated into English, Chinese, and Japanese. The cards are designed to be kept as souvenirs. Distribution began on June 19 and is currently ongoing.
Participating is easy: After your taxi ride, simply scan the QR code on the card with your smartphone. This QR code allows you to easily report your taxi experience, including issues like meters not being used or unfair fare charges. Crucially, even tourists who are short on time before their departure and might decline an in-person interview can now access the survey via the QR code. This is expected to significantly help in securing evidence for violations, leading to fines and improved service quality.
Seoul City's Strong Enforcement Efforts and Results
This system goes beyond just receiving complaints. The information entered by tourists, including vehicle details (license plate, time, meter usage, overcharging, etc.), can be immediately cross-referenced to verify violations, directly assisting on-site enforcement.
Seoul City established a dedicated task force for illegal taxi operations targeting foreign tourists in August 2015, the first of its kind in Korea. For nearly 10 years, 22 officials fluent in English, Japanese, and Chinese have been stationed at Incheon and Gimpo Airports, while 35 on-site enforcement staff are deployed in major tourist zones like Myeongdong, Hongdae, Itaewon, and Gangnam Station. They conduct daily enforcement from 3:00 PM to 1:00 AM, Monday through Saturday.
Thanks to these consistent efforts, in 2024, out of 7,435 interviews conducted with foreigners, 345 violations were identified. As of late May this year, 143 violations have already been found from 2,901 interviews. Common violations include unfair fare collection and non-use of meters. Detected violations lead to strict administrative penalties, such as fines, business suspension, or license revocation.
A Promise for a Better Seoul Trip
With the introduction of this QR survey, submitting feedback becomes easier, which is expected to bring various benefits, including closing enforcement blind spots and identifying excellent service cases. Seoul City plans to expand the distribution of these survey cards to key locations like hotels and airport arrival halls, in collaboration with organizations such as the Korea Tourism Organization.
