Tourist complaints in Korea hit record high amid travel boom

Tourist complaints in Korea have hit a record high this year, with problems ranging from reckless taxi driving to overcharging at shopping malls. The Korea Tourism Organization said 1,753 complaints were filed nationwide from January to July, surpassing last year’s 1,744. Seoul had the most complaints, while Busan saw a sharp rise after BTS world tour concerts drew large crowds. Experts said Korea needs stronger tourism service measures as foreign visitor numbers keep rising.

The Korea Tourism Organization said 1,753 complaints were filed nationwide between January and July this year.

Last year, foreign visitor complaints totaled 1,744, and the number has risen steadily since 2023 after falling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seoul recorded 665 complaints, followed by Busan with 594, Incheon with 176 and Jeju with 155.

Complaints about accommodations were the most common, with 500 cases involving one-sided reservation cancellations and excessive cancellation fees.

Foreign visitors made up 84.3 percent of all complaints, and Chinese nationals filed the largest number at 680.

Published Sep 6, 2026 10:53 am KST

Tourists enter Gyeongbok Palace in Jongno District, Seoul, Sept. 2. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Tourist complaints in Korea have hit a record high this year, data showed Sunday, with problems ranging from reckless taxi driving to overcharging at shopping malls.

A total of 1,753 complaints were filed nationwide between January and July this year, already surpassing the 1,744 cases reported last year, according to the data compiled by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).

The growing number of complaints has raised calls for Korea to come up with measures to improve tourism services, particularly as foreign visitors have complained of excessive accommodation cancellation fees and other issues during major events, such as K-pop supergroup BTS' concerts.

According to the data, the total number of complaints from foreign visitors fell during the COVID-19 pandemic but has risen steadily since 2023 and reached 1,744 last year, with the figure for this year already surpassing the annual total of 2025 in just seven months.

By region, Seoul recorded the most complaints at 665, followed by the southeastern city of Busan with 594, Incheon with 176 and the southern resort island of Jeju with 155.

Busan, which attracted some 110,000 visitors for BTS' world tour concerts in June, saw complaints more than double from 239 cases reported for all of last year.

Tourists complained most frequently about accommodations, with 500 cases involving one-sided reservation cancellations and excessive cancellation fees.

Unfriendly service and overcharging at stores came next with 376 cases, followed by poor airport and airline services with 186 cases and another 182 cases complaining of taxi drivers refusing to use meters or driving recklessly.

Foreign visitors accounted for 84.3 percent of all complaints, with Chinese nationals filing the largest number of complaints at 680, followed by Japanese at 263 and Taiwanese at 182.

Experts have called for efforts from both the government and the private sector to improve tourist satisfaction to keep the tourism boom going, as this year marked the first time the country's foreign visitor count surpassed 10 million before the end of the first half.

"As the number of tourists has grown and the tourism industry has expanded, complaints and other negative indicators have also increased," Yoon Ji-hwan, a tourism professor at Kyung Hee University, said.

Yoon also warned that negative experiences shared on social media could quickly spread and hurt the tourism industry.

今年韩国游客投诉数量创历史新高，问题涵盖出租车鲁莽驾驶、商场乱收费等。韩国旅游发展局表示，今年1月至7月，全国共收到1753起投诉，超过去年的1744起。首尔的投诉量最高，釜山在BTS世界巡回演唱会吸引大量游客后，投诉量也出现大幅增长。专家表示，随着外国游客数量的持续增长，韩国需要加强旅游服务措施。

韩国旅游发展局表示，今年1月至7月，全国共收到1753起投诉。

去年，外国游客投诉总数为 1744 起，自 2023 年以来，在 COVID-19 疫情期间下降后，投诉数量稳步上升。

首尔收到的投诉最多，达 665 起，其次是釜山（594 起）、仁川（176 起）和济州岛（155 起）。

最常见的投诉是关于住宿的，其中有 500 起涉及单方面取消预订和过高取消费用的案例。

外国游客占所有投诉的 84.3%，中国公民投诉数量最多，达 680 起。

发布于2026年9月6日上午10:53（韩国标准时间）

9月2日，游客进入首尔钟路区的景福宫。（韩国时报 沈贤哲 摄）

周日公布的数据显示，今年韩国游客投诉量创历史新高，问题涵盖了出租车司机鲁莽驾驶、购物中心过度收费等各个方面。

根据韩国旅游发展局（KTO）统计的数据，今年1月至7月，全国共收到1753起投诉，已经超过了去年报告的1744起案件。

越来越多的投诉促使人们呼吁韩国采取措施改善旅游服务，尤其是在韩国流行音乐超级组合 BTS 的演唱会等重大活动期间，外国游客抱怨住宿取消费用过高以及其他问题。

根据数据显示，新冠疫情期间外国游客的投诉总数有所下降，但自 2023 年以来稳步上升，去年达到 1744 起，而今年的数字在短短七个月内就已经超过了 2025 年的全年总数。

按地区划分，首尔的投诉量最多，达 665 起，其次是东南部城市釜山，有 594 起，仁川有 176 起，南部度假岛屿济州岛有 155 起。

釜山在 6 月份吸引了约 11 万名游客前来观看 BTS 的世界巡回演唱会，但投诉数量却比去年全年报告的 239 起增加了一倍多。

游客投诉最多的问题是住宿，其中有 500 起案例涉及单方面取消预订和过高的取消费用。

其次是商店服务态度恶劣和过度收费，共发生 376 起；其次是机场和航空公司服务差，共发生 186 起；另有 182 起投诉出租车司机拒绝使用计价器或鲁莽驾驶。

外国游客占所有投诉的 84.3%，其中中国公民投诉最多，达 680 起，其次是日本人，投诉 263 起，台湾人投诉 182 起。

专家呼吁政府和私营部门共同努力提高游客满意度，以保持旅游业的繁荣势头。今年是该国外国游客数量首次在上半年结束前超过 1000 万人次。

“随着游客数量的增长和旅游业的扩张，投诉和其他负面指标也随之增加，”庆熙大学旅游学教授尹智焕表示。

尹还警告说，在社交媒体上分享的负面经历可能会迅速传播，并对旅游业造成损害。