South Korea Experiences Record High Tourist Complaints Amidst Travel Boom
South Korea has seen a record number of tourist complaints filed this year, with 1,753 cases reported nationwide between January and July. This figure already surpasses the 1,744 complaints recorded for the entirety of last year, according to data compiled by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO). The surge in complaints coincides with a significant increase in foreign visitors, with the first quarter of the year marking the highest on record at 4.76 million, a 23 percent rise from the previous year. Seoul accounted for the majority of complaints with 665, followed by Busan with 594. The most frequent issues reported by tourists involved accommodations, with 500 cases related to one-sided reservation cancellations and excessive cancellation fees. Other common complaints included unfriendly service, overcharging at stores, poor airport and airline services, and reckless or meter-refusing taxi drivers. Foreign visitors made up 84.3 percent of all complaints, with Chinese nationals filing the largest share. 
