Seoul Metro to Intensify Crackdown on Illegal Subway Flyers... 23 Cases Detected in June Enforcement

Illegal Flyers Recklessly Attached to Electric Trains and Stations... Over 1,000 Complaints Last Year
Route Maps and Information Screens Obstructed, Causing Passenger Inconvenience and Embarrassing Content
Authorities Intensify Crackdown During Peak Posting Times with Zero Tolerance

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul Metro announced on the 8th that it will actively respond by conducting intensive crackdowns during peak posting hours on illegal flyers randomly posted inside subway trains, stations, and restrooms.

According to the corporation, unauthorized posting of advertisements inside the subway is prohibited under the Railroad Safety Act and the Minor Offenses Act. To actively address illegal flyers, since June, the corporation has deployed subway security officers intensively during peak complaint hours from 5 to 7 a.m. and 12 to 4 p.m. to crack down on those posting flyers. The corporation’s basic policy is to respond with zero tolerance by immediately reporting violators to the police for violating the Minor Offenses Act without any prior warning and requesting fines.

From January to May, a total of 317 cases (306 warnings, 11 police reports) were detected through routine inspections, and during the intensive crackdown in June alone, 23 cases were detected, resulting in 22 reports and 1 fine imposed under the zero-tolerance policy.

Complaints related to illegal flyers have also decreased since the intensive crackdown began. Over the past five years, a total of 4,063 complaints related to illegal flyers have been received by the corporation, showing an increasing trend each year. However, the number of complaints started to gradually decline in June, when the corporation began the intensive crackdown.

Illegal flyers are advertisements posted on the subway without permission using stickers or adhesive tape. Posting illegal flyers is not only a clear illegal act but also hinders passenger convenience by covering route maps or information screens.

The content of illegal flyers varies, including advertisements, religious promotions, and appeals for financial hardship, with many flyers containing sexual content (such as prostitution or unauthorized drug sales). Posting or distributing youth-harmful media in public places where the general public passes is prohibited under Article 19 of the Youth Protection Act.

The corporation immediately cracks down when discovering flyer posters, but there are considerable difficulties during enforcement. A security officer working at the Dangsan Operations Office on Line 2 expressed frustration, saying, “When we catch someone posting flyers, they often flee immediately or resist and threaten us, claiming it is business interference, making enforcement difficult.” Especially, the fines imposed for illegal flyer posting are mostly only up to 50,000 KRW, and many offenders refuse to pay or ignore the penalty and board the next train to post flyers again, which makes enforcement challenging.

The corporation emphasized that with active help from citizens, a better usage environment can be created. If illegal flyer posters are found, reporting via text, phone call to the corporation’s customer center, or through the Ttota Subway app allows nearby staff to take prompt action.

Lee Tae-hyung, head of the Customer Safety Support Center at Seoul Metro, said, “We will do our best to ensure citizens can conveniently use the subway by responding with intensive crackdowns on illegal flyers that spoil aesthetics and order,” and added, “Posting illegal flyers is a clear violation of the law, so we earnestly ask citizens to actively report such acts through the Ttota Subway app or other means when they are discovered.”

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