The police on Sunday caught 64 call vans and taxis operating illegally near major tourist attractions in Seoul.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police reported 57 drivers to their respective district offices and booked seven people in a patrol of popular tourist sites, such as Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Dongdaemun shopping district.
The patrol took place from April 21 to May 6, a period that includes the Chinese Labor Day (April 30 to May 4) and Japan’s Golden Week (April 25 to May 6) holidays.
By offense type, failure to display a proper license for taxis occurred the most frequently, with 16 cases, followed by refusing customers, with 13 cases; illegal soliciting, with nine cases; and not displaying licenses for call vans, with seven cases.
In addition, six call vans and taxis were caught with reflective stickers on their license plates to avoid being photographed by traffic cameras for illegal parking or speeding.
Of the nearly 900 complaints filed by foreign tourists last year, almost 30 percent involved call vans and taxis.
Police said taxi drivers’ illegal practices affected both local and foreign customers, adding that more crackdowns on violations will be conducted.
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
