Seoul to use mystery shoppers to catch Myeong-dong merchants ripping off tourists

Seoul will use mystery shoppers to intensify its crack down on merchants ripping off tourists in Myeong-dong, one of the nation's most popular shopping spots.

Foreign travelers in Myeondong, Jung District in Seoul last year. Seoul will intensity its crackdown on merchants overpricing tourists in Myeongdong, [JOONGANG ILBO]

Seoul will use mystery shoppers to intensify its crack down on merchants ripping off tourists in Myeong-dong, one of the nation's most popular shopping spots.

This initiative follows a surge in shop owners' illegal commercial activities, such as overpricing and aggressive selling, as the nation saw a record number of foreign travelers since the Covid-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2024.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Tuesday that the city, in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, launched a team of around 50 authorities to conduct a three-day crackdown on cosmetic stores beginning Monday in Myeong-dong, Jung District, central Seoul.

The team will visit 75 cosmetic stores in Myeong-dong's shopping area to ensure merchants display prices on their products.

According to the Cosmetics Act, all cosmetic items sold in the country must have visible price tags, such as stickers, to inform customers of the products' actual prices.

To tackle this issue more effectively, the city government will deploy mystery shoppers to assess shopping conditions and identify ways to improve them.

Disguised as foreign travelers, these shoppers will visit cosmetic shops to evaluate the overall shopping experience, including customer service, refund policies and soliciting practices.

The city will implement measures to enhance the shopping experience for tourists based on the investigation.

From Friday to Sunday, the city is set to undertake a survey among tourists visiting Myeong-dong to gather their feedback.

Upon the city's request, beauty shops violating the law will be reported to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

The crackdown will extend to other businesses, including restaurants and street food vendors, in the future.

The city government also plans to work with the Korea Tourist Guide Association and the police to get rid of unqualified tour guides at the popular foreign tourist destination.

"We will do our utmost to rectify illegal commercial practices such as overpricing in Myeong-dong, the nation's top shopping district, to protect Seoul's image," said Kim Young-hwan, the director-general of Seoul's Tourism and Sports Bureau.

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]