Jeju Autonomous Police Agency to Conduct Crackdown on Unregistered Travel Businesses Until June

Published 24 Apr.2023 13:17(KST)

Special Crackdown Launched to Keep Pace with Increasing Foreign Tourists

The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Autonomous Police Unit (Chief Park Gi-nam) announced on the 24th that, in response to the increase in foreign tourists following the resumption of international flights at Jeju Airport, it will form a special crackdown team to conduct intensive inspections on unregistered travel businesses until the end of June.

The Autonomous Police Unit is currently investigating Mr. A, who was caught at a tourist site in Jocheon-eup for receiving payment for providing travel guidance, transportation to tourist destinations, and ticketing services to Chinese tourists.

Unregistered Travel Agency Crackdown Photo [Photo by Jeju Autonomous Police Unit]

Excluding the years 2021-2022 when there were no foreign tourists due to the COVID-19 situation, a total of 52 cases of unregistered travel businesses were detected over three years from 2018 to 2020.

Unregistered travel businesses refer to activities that provide travel conveniences such as accommodation reservations, travel guidance, and ticketing services without registering as a "travel business" with the competent authority. According to the Tourism Promotion Act, such activities are punishable by up to three years imprisonment or a fine of up to 30 million KRW.

The tourism police believe that business activities targeting foreign tourists, including Chinese visitors, will be predominant.

Accordingly, they plan to operate Cyber Patrol targeting travel guidance websites and travel product sales sites, while simultaneously conducting undercover operations at hotels and tourist sites to track these activities.

Using unregistered travel agencies poses significant risks, as responsibility for accidents during travel may be unclear, leaving users liable. It also harms the competitiveness of legally operating travel agencies, causing considerable damage.

The Autonomous Police Unit urged travelers to verify whether a travel agency is legally registered by using travel information centers operated by the Korea Association of Travel Agents before making reservations.

Park Sang-hyun, head of the Tourism Police Division of the Autonomous Police Unit, stated, "We will strengthen crackdowns on unregistered travel agencies that weaken the competitiveness of legitimate businesses and cause harm to travelers by focusing the capabilities of the tourism police."