A South Korean taxi driver has come under intense criticism after a Thai tourist posted a video of him making sexually inappropriate remarks during her ride to Seoul Station, according to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
Inappropriate questions and alarming suggestions
The tourist, who has not been publicly identified, posted the clip on 19 June. It shows the driver using a translation app to converse with her, during which he posed several intrusive questions, such as whether she had a boyfriend and why she was unmarried.
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The situation escalated when the driver suggested he could help her find a job, saying, “It is not hard. You just need to clean rooms.” Upon learning she was heading to Busan, he offered to drive her there himself. Disturbingly, he added: “If you do not have money for the fare, you can pay with your body.”
The woman described feeling frightened, especially when the driver stopped the car mid-ride to continue speaking to her. Although he eventually dropped her at Seoul Station, he gave her his phone number and asked when she would return.
Social media backlash and public apology
{{/usCountry}}The woman described feeling frightened, especially when the driver stopped the car mid-ride to continue speaking to her. Although he eventually dropped her at Seoul Station, he gave her his phone number and asked when she would return.
Social media backlash and public apology
{{/usCountry}}Sharing her experience, the tourist warned others about taking taxis in South Korea and revealed that she had used the same ride-hailing app to file a report against the driver. Her video has since garnered over 660,000 likes and more than 400 comments, according to SCMP.
Commenters from both Thailand and South Korea condemned the driver’s behaviour. One South Korean user wrote, “I am sorry that such a horrible thing happened to you.” Another added, “You should report the incident to the police. This is sexual harassment. If this type of person is left unpunished, they will do the same to others in future.”
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A third remarked, “We should punish this driver severely for sexual harassment or at least make his personal information public.”
Legal gaps raise concern
According to SCMP, in South Korea, verbal sexual harassment is not classified as a criminal offence unless it involves physical contact in a public setting. Critics have pointed out that such legal loopholes allow inappropriate behaviour like this to go unchecked and unpunished.