Chaos at Seoul Station as Last Trains End: Foreigners and Locals Crowd the Streets
Chronic Taxi Shortage Leaves Late-Night Buses Overwhelmed
Illegal Solicitation Surges Amid Crackdown Challenges
“Miss, I’ll take you to Anyang for 60,000 won.”
In the early morning of the 7th in front of the Seoul Station Bus Transfer Center, a crowd of foreigners and locals pulling suitcases poured out as soon as the announcement for the last KTX train ended. As I was about to cross the crosswalk, a man in his 60s suddenly grabbed my wrist. He pointed to a line of four ordinary cars—not taxis with the official ‘Ba’, ‘Sa’, ‘A’, or ‘Ja’ license plates. These were “illegal taxis” without proper licenses.
When I said I would try calling a taxi through an application (app), the man grumbled, “Do you really think you can get a taxi at this hour? If you’re scared because it’s your first time seeing these cars, take a photo of the license plate and send it to your mom.” He claimed to have 10 years of experience, but inside his car, there was no meter or card payment terminal—only cash or bank transfer was accepted, creating a lawless zone.
In the early morning of the 7th, near the Seoul Station Bus Transfer Center, a man suspected to be a driver of an illegal commercial transportation vehicle was soliciting passengers among citizens. Recently, as the shortage of taxis during late-night hours in Seoul continues, so-called illegal taxi operations have been rampant across various parts of Seoul. Photo by Hosoo Park
As the late-night traffic crisis continues, illegal paid transportation vehicles are rampant throughout the city. Near stations and in crowded areas, you can easily spot aggressive solicitation targeting both foreign tourists and citizens. The issue has worsened due to not only the shortage of taxi supply but also the congestion on late-night buses.
According to Seoul’s taxi status data as of January this year, there were 64,933 registered taxis in Seoul, down by about 6,800 from 71,806 in 2019. During this period, the number of taxi drivers also dropped by nearly 10,000, from 30,527 to 20,501. Analysts point out that the late-night traffic crisis in Seoul remains unresolved, as drivers who moved to delivery and courier jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic have not returned.
Dozens of people formed a long line at the taxi stand, but taxis rarely appeared. After the last subway train stopped running, demand increased further, and illegal vehicles seized the opportunity. Solicitors repeatedly approached foreigners, bargaining in clumsy English with phrases such as “30,000 won okay?” Hannah Davies, a 47-year-old British tourist, frowned and said, “I was scared when someone grabbed me and told me to get in, especially in a street mixed with drunk people and homeless individuals. I came here trusting Korea’s reputation for safety, but I’m shocked.”
After 1 a.m., the taxi queue grew even longer. In the end, a Chinese tourist got into a black sedan after being offered a ride to Sillim for 50,000 won. At that time, the Kakao T app showed the estimated taxi fare from Seoul Station to Anyang Station to be about 37,000 won, and to Sillim Station about 18,000 won. Not only are illegal rides and aggressive solicitation targeting foreign tourists, but some drivers are charging up to more than double the normal fare.
In the early hours of the 7th, after the last subway train stopped running, foreign tourists near the taxi platform at Seoul Station waited, looking at their phone screens to catch a taxi. Photo by Park Hosoo
According to the Passenger Transport Service Act, picking up passengers and accepting money with a private car without a permit is punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and local districts respond to illegal paid transportation by requesting police investigations when reports are received, but say that direct crackdowns are difficult.
An official from Yongsan District explained, “When a complaint with photos or videos is received, we request an investigation from the relevant police station, but on-site crackdowns are realistically challenging.” An official from the Seoul Station police substation at Namdaemun Police Station also said, “If there are no reports and our personnel are limited, it is difficult to conduct direct crackdowns.”
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Experts point out that there are limits to relying solely on reports and crackdowns. Kim Pilsoo, a professor of future automotive studies at Daelim University, said, “With the prolonged shortage of taxis during late-night hours, illegal paid transportation has taken root like a shadow market. In response to the increase in foreign tourists and late-night travel demand, measures to increase supply—such as running more late-night buses and introducing public late-night transportation options—should be implemented in parallel.”
This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.
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