Tourists, be warned: Jeju Island to impose fines to foreign law violators

When visiting a new country, tourists need to be familiar with both the laws and social customs, even if they aren't always aware of them. Not knowing about these isn't an excuse to break them, and to address this, Jeju police have increased enforcement of minor offenses by tourists.

While Jeju has seen an increase in the number of tourists (Jeju Tourism Association said that 419,645 foreign tourists visited Jeju from January 1 to January 8 this year, a 511% from 68,586 last year), locals are complaining of "unruly" tourists for misdemeanors such as "jaywalking, littering, smoking on cigarette-free streets, and public urination."

Last Tuesday, June 25, police caught nine violators for jaywalking. All of them were asked to pay on-site fines immediately, The Korea Herald reported.

“We understand that some tourists who were caught violating local laws may not have been aware of the regulations,” said an official at Jeju Provincial Police Agency.

While he acknowledged that some rules may be legal in their countries, the representative emphasized that travel agencies and tour guides must educate foreign tourists about local rules and regulations.

Data showed that there were 353 jaywalking cases on Jeju Island from January to June 21, 2024. 248 of those were committed by foreigners.

Under the Road Traffic Act, the violator will have to pay KRW 20,000 (P847) for crossing the road outside a designated crosswalk. If they cross on red light, the fine is KRW 30,000 (P1,271).