Posted on 10/14/2013 11:39:53 PM PDT by TexGrill
Officials, clad in tidy uniform and beret, have name tags reading “English, “Chinese V” and “Japanese” in the chest section of their jacket. This is the image of tourism police who will appear at major tourist attractions in Seoul starting from Wednesday. Tourism police is a police organization that will be exclusively in charge of handling illegal activities targeting foreign tourists, including overcharging of service fees.
The Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry and the National Police Agency said on Monday that 101 tourism police officers will start activities at major tourism hotspots across Seoul from Wednesday. The tourism police will be deployed in groups at Myeongdong, Itaewon, Dongdaemun, Insa-dong, Hongik University area, Cheonggyecheon, and Seoul City Hall area,” and will concentrate on crackdown of service fee overcharging against tourists, illegal call van (for carrying luggage and passengers) service. They will also help address inhospitality and denials of refund that foreign tourists could experience at stores and restaurants. The ministry will provide assistance to enable foreign tourists to conveniently contact tourism police by dialing tourism hotline "1330."
“A total of 52 incumbent police officers and 49 conscripted policemen, who are proficient in English, Chinese and Japanese, have been singled out as tourism police. The ministry and the police agency plan to have them wear special police uniforms that are designed by designer Kim Seo-ryong to ensure that tourism police themselves will become Korea’s iconic tourist attraction in themselves. “The fact that tourism police exist in itself will help reduce illegal activities preying on foreigners,” said Shin Yong-eon, director-general of the tourism bureau at the ministry. “We will develop them into a tourism product like honor guards and brass band in foreign countries.”
(Excerpt) Read more at english.donga.com ...
Almost thought this was about the park police preventing tourism....
Sad state of affairs.
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