Seoul Metro apologizes for derogatory online post calling Chinese passengers 'villains'

An employee of Seoul Metro, which operates the city’s subway, has sparked controversy due to a derogatory online post toward Chinese people in response to a public complaint.

Trains lined up at Guro District, western Seoul, in 2021. [NEWS1]

An employee of Seoul Metro, which operates the city’s subway, has sparked controversy due to a derogatory online post toward Chinese people in response to a public complaint.

On Sunday, an employee of the Seoul Metro’s crew headquarters uploaded a response to a complaint titled "Request for Improvement on Excessive Chinese Announcements in Palaces and Subway Stations" on the Seoul Metropolitan Government's website.

Seoul Metro is a public corporation under the Seoul Metropolitan Government that operates subway lines No. 1 through No. 8.

The complaint expressed discomfort over "noisy” Chinese announcements and requested that the foreign language announcement should only be in English.

"Chinese people, when gathered in groups of two or more, can often be loud and disruptive, turning into villains," read the controversial response on the website. "It is necessary we broadcast Chinese announcements encouraging order and good conduct on trains, putting out an enlightening reminder against disorder."

In regard to the complaint requesting that foreign language announcements should only be in English, the post said, “We will review the possibility of broadcasting announcements only in Korean and English in the future.”

The controversial response post on the Seoul Metropolitan Government website that says a crowd of chinese people sometimes turn into noisy ″villains.″ [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The full response, including the problematic statements, was posted publicly online, where it immediately sparked controversy. Many netizens in online communities criticized Seoul Metro for using language exhibiting cultural bias and exclusion against individuals of a specific nationality.

As the controversy grew, Seoul Metro issued an explanatory statement, apologizing for "the inappropriate language and content regarding Chinese tourists in the response to the complaint."

"To prevent similar incidents, we will provide special training for all employees, including those in the complaint response department," said the corporation. "We will improve the system so that department heads either respond directly to complaints or thoroughly review the content."

"We will make every effort to create a subway environment that foreign tourists can use more conveniently and foster a culture that recognizes diversity in our organization."

Regarding the response indicating they would "consider only broadcasting announcements in Korean and English," Seoul Metro denied having reviewed such a plan.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]