10 Illegal Lodgings Including One-Room Apartments Operating During Vacation Season Exposed in Busan

Special Investigation on Illegal Lodging Operations Near Tourist Attractions and Beaches
Busan City Cracks Down on Lodging Businesses Operating Without Reports, Criminal Charges Filed
Illegal Operations of Officetels and Others Rise Due to Popularit

Illegal lodging crackdown site.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Last summer vacation season, 10 illegal lodging businesses operating without registration were caught in Busan.

On the 14th, Busan City announced that it had conducted a special investigation into illegal lodging operations in Suyeong-gu, Dong-gu, Gangseo-gu, and Gijang-gun during the vacation season and identified 10 places for violating the Public Health Control Act.

It was found that lodging transactions through online intermediary platforms flourished as overseas travelers decreased and domestic travelers increased due to the impact of COVID-19.

Busan City launched a special investigation due to various issues such as user safety and hygiene problems, damage to legitimate lodging businesses, and inconvenience to local residents. The illegal businesses caught were subject to criminal charges.

The city formed an investigation team consisting of special judicial police, the head of the public health investigation team, and six others to focus on ▲unregistered illegal lodging operations ▲whether lodging businesses allowed cohabitation of opposite-sex youths ▲compliance with lodging fees, among other issues.

Looking at the types of businesses caught, seven places including Business A operated lodging businesses near beaches and coastal tourist spots, installed outdoor barbecue areas, but were caught operating illegally without registering their lodging business with the relevant district office.

Three places including Business B operated lodging businesses in officetels and one-room apartments close to downtown Busan but were found to have operated without lodging business registration with the relevant district office.

Kim Jong-kyung, Director of the Citizen Safety Office of Busan City, said, “The number of tourists using internet lodging sharing sites has been steadily increasing recently,” and added, “You should use officially registered safe and clean lodging businesses.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.