Seoul Fines Taxi Driver Who Demanded 45,000 Won for Japanese Reporters' Ride

A 10 kilometer ride with a fare nearly four times the usual cost

Seoul authorities have fined a taxi driver who demanded 45,000 won from two Japanese reporters posing as tourists for a journey from Myeongdong to Hongdae, a trip of about 10 kilometers that commonly costs around 12,000 won in normal conditions.

The driver switched off the meter before departure, blamed heavy traffic for the fixed price and later offered to reduce the charge to 40,000 won if the passengers paid in cash. When they paid by card, he refused to provide a receipt. He also tried to exchange contact details and sell them an outing to a casino.

The hidden camera investigation by Japanese broadcaster TBS, posted on the TBS News Dig YouTube channel, spread quickly and drew criticism in South Korea and abroad. Seoul Metropolitan Government officials identified the driver during an existing campaign against unfair taxi practices and imposed a fine.

As of September 8, 2025, the city had not disclosed the amount of that fine. The penalty schedule sets a fine of 200,000 won for a first offense, with larger fines, suspension and eventual license cancellation for repeat violations.

The encounter brought together several problems that visitors have continued to report despite repeated enforcement campaigns: inflated charges, drivers refusing to use meters, refusals of short journeys and pressure to accept other paid services. It also put attention on the records that help passengers challenge a fare, particularly a working meter, a receipt and identifiable vehicle details.

The demanded 45,000 won was 3.75 times the usual 12,000 won fare. Even the proposed cash price of 40,000 won would have been more than three times that typical cost.

What happened between Myeongdong and Hongdae?

The two reporters entered the taxi as apparent visitors traveling between two busy Seoul districts. Before the car moved, the driver proposed a fixed fare and immediately turned off the meter, saying heavy traffic justified the price.

At Hongdae, he asked for 45,000 won and offered a cash discount of 5,000 won. The passengers instead paid by card and asked for a receipt, which he refused to issue. The refusal left them without the usual document showing how the journey and charge had been recorded.

After the journalists identified themselves and challenged the fare, the driver said he had already lost time because an earlier reservation in Myeongdong had been canceled. His explanation shifted from traffic on their journey to time lost before they entered the vehicle.

The driver also suggested that he could introduce the visitors to nightlife venues. During that pitch, he offered an additional outing to a casino:

I can take you to a well known casino here for 10,000 yen per person.

The solicitation drew concern because visitors unfamiliar with local entertainment prices and customs could struggle to judge such an offer. His attempts to exchange contact details added another element to an encounter that had begun as a straightforward taxi ride.

How the meter should calculate the fare

Seoul's standard taxi fare begins at 4,800 won for the first 1.6 kilometers. After that, the meter adds 100 won for roughly every 132 meters. Night and late night journeys have higher base fares and surcharges depending on the time.

A journey of about 10 kilometers between Myeongdong and Hongdae commonly costs around 12,000 won in normal daytime conditions. Traffic can increase the charge because the meter also reflects extra travel time. The driver must keep it running so that passengers can see the fare accumulating under the regulated system.

Turning off the meter and replacing its calculation with a flat price far above the expected fare violates city rules. In practical terms, the meter allows a passenger to follow the charge during the journey instead of being asked to accept a price chosen by the driver.

The 12,000 won figure is a typical fare, with the actual amount depending on conditions and the applicable rates. In this case, the city's enforcement action followed a journey in which the driver had removed the meter from that process altogether.

A 100 day operation targets airports and tourist districts

Seoul launched a special enforcement operation lasting 100 days in early August 2025. Its targets include overcharging, demands for tips, failure to use meters and refusals to accept short rides. Officials said they located and fined the driver during these heightened inspections.

The operation concentrates on Incheon and Gimpo airports and popular districts including Myeongdong, Hongdae, Itaewon and Gangnam. These are places where foreign visitors frequently need transport and may have limited knowledge of local fares or routes.

Regular inspections began in 2015, using both officers in plain clothes and targeted checks in areas with recurring problems. The latest campaign builds on that work with more enforcement personnel, expanded use of QR code surveys connected to the city's complaint system and clearer labeling on taxi receipts to support audits.

The enforcement record and the current case span several years:

• 2015: Seoul began regular inspections of unfair taxi practices.
• 2024: Officers interviewed more than 7,400 foreign visitors and confirmed 345 violations.
• First half of 2025, through the end of June: Authorities identified 139 overcharging cases and 109 cases involving refusals of short rides to foreign visitors at airports near Seoul.
• Early August 2025: Seoul launched its special operation lasting 100 days.
• By September 8, 2025: Officials had identified and fined the driver filmed during the Myeongdong to Hongdae journey.

Penalties increase with repeat offenses. A first violation carries a fine of 200,000 won. A second carries a fine of 400,000 won and suspension for 30 days. A third brings a fine of 600,000 won and cancellation of the driver's license.

How officers trace a disputed journey

Seoul maintains a dedicated taxi enforcement team that includes 55 multilingual officers working at airports and major tourist areas. Patrols generally operate six days a week, from the middle of the afternoon until late at night.

Officers interview visitors and use video evidence, receipt information and tips submitted through the QR reporting system to identify vehicles and check complaints. The more than 7,400 interviews conducted in 2024 resulted in 345 confirmed violations.

The airport figures for the first half of 2025 show two recurring difficulties. Authorities recorded 139 overcharging cases, while another 109 involved drivers refusing short rides to foreign visitors. For passengers, one problem means paying too much; the other means being unable to obtain a permitted journey in the first place.

Receipt details and vehicle identification help officials connect a complaint to a particular car and driver. Clearer receipt labeling is intended to make those checks easier, while interviews and QR submissions give visitors ways to describe what happened.

Why the incident drew such a strong reaction

Korean viewers criticized the driver's conduct and its effect on the country's reputation. Myeongdong and Hongdae attract visitors who may use taxis while shopping, visiting attractions or going out at night, making trust in everyday transport a practical concern.

One Korean online user called for the driver to lose his license:

Please revoke his taxi license.

Another Korean online user focused on the damage to the country's image:

This hurts Korea's global standing.

The reaction reflected frustration with complaints that have persisted through earlier enforcement drives. Visitors have described inflated fares, unnecessary detours, meters left unused and drivers declining rides. Language barriers and unfamiliarity with local rules can make it harder for a traveler to challenge a demand at the time.

The casino pitch added to the criticism. A passenger trying to assess a disputed fare was also being offered another service at a price quoted in yen, creating a further decision about costs in an unfamiliar setting.

Taxi grievances sit within a wider tourism complaint pattern

The Korea Tourism Organization says taxi issues accounted for close to 19 percent of all complaints in 2024. Those grievances included inflated prices, failure to use meters and unnecessary detours.

A separate tally recorded 1,543 complaints from foreign tourists across different sectors in 2024, an increase of 71 percent from 2023. Shopping disputes, unclear prices, accommodation problems and restaurant issues were among the subjects raised.

More independent travel means more visitors arrange transport, accommodation and shopping themselves. That can put them in direct contact with unclear price displays or aggressive selling, without someone else organizing those transactions for them.

Serious taxi overcharging has also occurred outside Seoul. On Jeju Island, a driver charged a Chinese tourist 200,000 won for a journey that should have cost about 23,000 won. The driver was ordered to refund the overcharge.

The Jeju charge was about 8.7 times the expected fare, compared with 3.75 times the usual fare demanded on the Myeongdong to Hongdae trip. Both cases show how large the difference can become when a visitor is charged far beyond the normal cost of a journey.

What passengers can do during a taxi journey

Most Seoul taxi journeys are routine, use the meter and are fairly priced. Standard taxis provide receipts on request, and smartphone booking apps are common. A fare estimate and a record of the journey give passengers something concrete to check if a charge seems wrong.

Visitors can take several practical steps before departure, during the ride and when paying:

• Check that the meter is switched on before the taxi moves and remains on throughout the journey. Decline a proposed flat price that appears excessive and wait for another taxi.
• Ask for a receipt. It can show the distance, time, fare breakdown and vehicle identification needed for a complaint.
• Use a trusted booking app such as Kakao T for route tracking, fare estimates and driver and vehicle details.
• Remember the standard base fare of 4,800 won for 1.6 kilometers, with further charges for distance and time. Higher rates apply during night periods.
• Record the license plate or taxi number if a problem arises. A photograph can help identify the vehicle later.
• If a driver refuses a short ride, end the interaction politely and seek another vehicle. Short journeys are allowed, and refusals can be reported.
• Choose card payment if a charge seems suspicious. The payment record can help with an investigation and a refund.

A receipt is especially useful because it brings several journey details together in one place. When a driver refuses to issue one, a card payment record and a photograph of the vehicle can still give officials information to follow up.

Knowing the basic fare also helps passengers understand why the price might rise. Distance, time in traffic and the applicable night rates belong in the meter calculation, where the passenger can follow them during the trip.

How visitors can report a problem

At Incheon and Gimpo airports, travelers can collect a small flyer the size of a business card carrying a QR code. Scanning it opens a short survey in English, Chinese or Japanese that sends information directly to Seoul's enforcement system.

Visitors can submit the time and place of an incident, an image of the receipt or a photograph of the vehicle. Officials can then check the vehicle information and, after reviewing the case, impose fines or administrative penalties.

The city plans to distribute the cards more widely at hotels and arrival areas. Enforcement teams also interview travelers at airports and near major attractions, giving passengers an opportunity to raise problems in person.

The QR system allows someone who was not interviewed at the scene to make a submission later. Authorities say the information has improved the speed and quality of follow up, with more confirmed violations linked to specific vehicles and drivers.

For a visitor leaving Seoul soon after a disputed journey, being able to send the details later makes the reporting process more practical. The time, location and vehicle record give investigators a starting point even after the passenger has moved on.

Reliable transport matters as visitor numbers rise

South Korea received nearly 7.21 million foreign visitors by the end of May 2025, a double digit increase from a year earlier. The government expects arrivals to approach 20 million for the full year.

Seoul's shopping districts and nightlife attract large numbers of visitors from Japan, China, Taiwan and the United States. Those arrivals support local businesses and increase demand for dependable journeys between airports, hotels and attractions.

City officials describe the 100 day operation as part of a longer effort to modernize the taxi sector and improve service standards. Fines and suspensions sit alongside wider QR reporting and tools intended to make prices easier for visitors to understand.

For passengers, the immediate goal is straightforward: a working meter, a clear account of the fare and a way to report misconduct. For the majority of drivers who follow the rules, action against overcharging also protects confidence in their work.

At a Glance

• Seoul fined a driver who demanded 45,000 won for a Myeongdong to Hongdae ride commonly costing about 12,000 won.
• The driver switched off the meter, offered a cash price of 40,000 won, refused a receipt after card payment and pitched a casino outing.
• The city did not disclose the fine. The penalty schedule begins at 200,000 won and reaches license cancellation for a third offense.
• Seoul began a special enforcement operation lasting 100 days in early August 2025.
• Authorities identified 139 airport overcharging cases and 109 short ride refusal cases involving foreign visitors in the first half of 2025.
• Taxi issues accounted for close to 19 percent of tourism complaints in 2024, according to the Korea Tourism Organization.
• Multilingual enforcement officers and QR surveys help visitors report disputed journeys and identify the vehicles involved.
• Passengers can check the meter, request receipts, keep vehicle details and use card or app records to support complaints.