A Thai female tourist visiting Korea has come under controversy after it was revealed that she heard inappropriate remarks from a taxi driver. A video recorded by a friend of the victim has spread online, heightening concerns about the safety of tourism in Korea.
The victim, referred to as Ms. A, recently used a taxi-hailing app to take a vehicle to catch a KTX train to Busan. However, it was reported that the taxi driver made inappropriate comments using a mobile phone translation app, such as asking, 'Do you have a boyfriend?', 'Why are you not married yet?', and 'I can introduce you to a job where you just have to clean rooms.'
Particularly, when Ms. A said, 'I’m planning to travel to Busan,' the driver reportedly made explicit sexual harassment remarks, saying, 'Shall we go together in this taxi?' and 'If you don't have taxi fare, you can pay with your body.' It is said that the driver did not change his attitude and continued to smile as the statements were conveyed through the translator.
Fortunately, Ms. A arrived safely at her destination, Seoul Station, but the driver continued to create an unpleasant situation by stopping the car midway and persistently trying to engage her in conversation, even giving her his phone number.
This incident came to light when a friend of the victim shared details on social media (SNS) on the 19th. He noted, 'Korea is a country with many good people, but you should not think it is 100% safe,' leaving behind the phrase 'Korean taxi alert.'
The post quickly spread, primarily through Thai social media, and local netizens expressed their anger with comments such as, 'The app must have the driver's information, so make sure to report it,' 'I’m planning to travel alone in Korea, but I’m scared,' and 'Are you disregarding us?'
Domestic internet users also criticized the situation, stating, 'This is a clear crime,' 'It damages Korea’s image,' and 'Good drivers are the ones who suffer.' Additionally, expressions of sympathy for the victim were also heard, such as, 'I apologize as a Korean,' and 'It should have been a good memory, but it's unfortunate.'