Grabbing Wrists, "Miss, Anyang 60,000 Won"... Late-Night Illegal Taxis Turn Seoul into a Lawless Zone

Chaos at Seoul Station as Last Trains End: Foreigners and Locals Crowd the Streets
Chronic Taxi Shortage Leaves Late-Night Buses Overwhelmed
Illegal Solicitation Surges Amid Crackdown Challenges

"Miss, I'll take you to Anyang for 60,000 won."

In the early morning of May 7th, in front of the Seoul Station Bus Transfer Center, as soon as the announcement signaling the last KTX train's departure ended, a flood of foreign tourists and citizens with suitcases streamed out. As the reporter tried to cross the crosswalk, a man in his 60s suddenly grabbed the reporter's wrist. The man pointed to a row of four regular passenger cars—not taxis with business license plates marked 'Ba', 'Sa', 'A', or 'Ja', but unlicensed 'illegal taxis'.

When the reporter said, "I'll try calling a taxi through an app," the man retorted, "Do you really think you can get a taxi at this hour? If you're scared because you've never seen this kind of car before, take a picture of the license plate and send it to your mom or something." He claimed to have 10 years of experience, but his car had neither a meter nor a card payment terminal. Only cash or bank transfer was accepted—it was a lawless zone.

As the late-night transportation crisis continues, illegal commercial transport vehicles are rampant throughout the city. Around train stations and other crowded areas, it is easy to spot aggressive solicitation targeting foreign tourists and citizens. The problem is exacerbated by both a shortage of taxis and congestion on late-night buses.

According to the Seoul taxi status report released on May 13, the number of taxis registered in Seoul as of January this year stood at 64,933, a decrease of about 6,800 compared to 71,806 in 2019. During the same period, the number of taxi drivers fell from 30,527 to 20,501, a drop of nearly 10,000. Analysts point out that the late-night transportation crisis in Seoul remains unresolved, as drivers who left for delivery and courier jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic have not returned.

Dozens of people lined up at the taxi stand, but taxis were nowhere to be seen. When the last subway train stopped running, demand surged even further, and illegal vehicles filled the gap. Solicitors approached foreign tourists, repeatedly bargaining in broken English with offers like "30,000 won, okay?" British tourist Hannah Davies (47) said, "It's frightening to be told to get in a car by someone on a street full of drunk people and the homeless. I came here trusting Korea's reputation for safety, so I'm quite taken aback."

After 1 a.m., the taxi queue grew even longer. Eventually, a Chinese tourist got into a black sedan after being offered a ride to Sillim for 50,000 won. At the time, the estimated taxi fare on the KakaoT app from Seoul Station to Anyang Station was about 37,000 won, and to Sillim Station about 18,000 won. Not only are these illegal operators aggressively soliciting foreign tourists, but they are also demanding fares as much as double the standard rate.

Under the Passenger Transport Service Act, picking up passengers in a private car and accepting money without a license is punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and local districts respond to reports of illegal commercial transport by referring cases to the police for investigation, but say direct crackdowns are difficult.

An official from Yongsan District explained, "When complaints with photos or videos are filed, we request an investigation from the relevant police station, but on-site crackdowns are realistically difficult." A representative from the Seoul Namdaemun Police Station's Seoul Station substation also said, "Without reports from the public and with limited personnel, it is difficult to carry out direct crackdowns."

Experts point out that reporting and crackdowns alone are not enough. Kim Pilsoo, Professor of the Department of Future Automotive at Daelim University, said, "As the shortage of taxis during late-night hours has persisted for a long time, illegal commercial transport has become entrenched as an underground market. To address the increase in foreign tourists and late-night travel demand, supply-side solutions such as increasing late-night buses and introducing public late-night transportation should be implemented in parallel."