Culture ministry launches fair pricing campaign in Busan

The culture ministry held a joint public-private campaign to promote fair pricing and friendly service at Haeundae Market in Busan on Tuesday, aiming to eliminate tourist rip-offs ahead of the Chuseok holiday and the autumn travel season.

Working with the Korea Tourism Organization, the ministry targeted local merchants and industry associations to encourage compliance with posted prices and improve customer service standards. The event followed a similar launch in Myeongdong, Seoul, in late April.

A citizen monitoring program has recorded 12,806 participation cases as of late August. Complaints filed through the mobile platform were forwarded to local governments for corrective action, while 296 exemplary establishments received promotional support on the official tourism safety map known as the 'Garamjaengi Map.'

Inspectors conducted two rounds of checks in June and August, visiting 230 sites. The campaign also distributed informational materials to 1,433 accommodation and dining establishments nationwide during August.

To back these voluntary efforts, the government has integrated foreign tourist complaint centers into the 1330 hotline and recently revised laws to impose stricter penalties on violators. Accommodation and food businesses failing to display price lists or adhering to posted rates now face an initial five-day suspension of operations, while taxi drivers caught charging excessive fares risk an immediate 30-day license suspension.

Kang Jeong-won, director general for tourism policy at the ministry, emphasized that eradicating overcharging requires active cooperation from both the industry and the public. "Eradicating overcharging and fostering kindness can only lead to changes felt on the ground when there is voluntary participation and practice by both the tourism industry and the public," Kang said. "We will strengthen on-site campaign activities so that a culture of fair pricing and kindness takes root, creating a trustworthy tourism environment for visitors."