President Lee Jae-myung directed the government to establish measures to crack down on overcharging at major tourist attractions in the country on the 2nd. This comes as incidents of citizens expressing grievances over overcharging have been repeatedly occurring in Busan's seafood restaurants, following similar problems with 'greasy pork belly' in Jeju and Ulleungdo during the vacation season and 'raw ramen' in karaoke rooms in Masan. Local governments do not have the authority to regulate the prices set by self-employed individuals. Current laws are limited to administrative guidance. It is reported that the behavior of a few businesses adversely affects overall regional tourism, and there are plans to amend existing laws to impose stricter penalties.
On the morning of that day, President Lee held a public discussion with ministers at a Cabinet meeting under the theme of 'national economic growth strategy'. After receiving a report from Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young regarding 'regional tourism revitalization', President Lee stated, "Revitalizing local tourism is much more efficient than material exports, and we must also enhance domestic tourism," adding, "The biggest obstacle is the occasional incidents of overcharging by self-employed individuals."
He particularly mentioned the complaints about the unfriendliness and overcharging issues at the Gangwon-do Sokcho 'squid market' that became known through social media, and the '70,000 won sea cucumber' issue at the Jagalchi market in Busan. President Lee asked, "Is there really no way to crack down on places that say, 'I will charge expensively'? Legally, it is impossible." He also inquired, "Earlier, there was chaos because of sea cucumbers; can't we regulate that?"
Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-joong responded, "We need to examine whether penalties are legally feasible," adding, "I will induce the revitalization foundation or merchants' association of each commercial area to self-regulate." In response, President Lee noted, "Pursuing trivial gains can lead to catastrophic consequences. Unlike in the past, this is quickly disseminated through platforms like YouTube, which can be deadly for the entire regional economy."
He continued, "It is too large a public harm to leave it as a voluntary matter," asking, "In a capitalist market economy, is it acceptable when they come out saying, 'I will charge expensively'?" He also remarked, "In the Gangwon-do region, there were promises of 'sorry, we will rectify this,' yet these incidents keep happening, leading to complete disarray. The damage is enormous due to one or two individuals," addressing Minister Choi Hwi-young and stating, "Tourism is significantly important for revitalizing the regional economy, so please take a particular interest and come up with measures."