A Thai tourist in South Korea shared a disturbing experience with a taxi driver who made inappropriate comments during her ride to Seoul Station. Using a translation app, the driver asked her personal questions, like if she had a boyfriend or why she wasn’t married.
The driver even offered her a cleaning job and said she could “pay with her body” if she had no money for the fare to Busan.
“If you do not have money for the fare, you can pay with your body,” the South China Morning Post quoted the driver as saying.
The driver also stopped the car mid-way, which scared her. Though he dropped her at the station, he gave his number and asked when she’d return.
The tourist reported him through the taxi app and shared the video online, warning others to stay alert. The post received over 6.6 lakh likes and hundreds of comments, sparking outrage in South Korea and Thailand.
Many people online are demanding strict action against the driver for his shameful and dangerous behaviour towards a woman tourist.
The video received strong support from people in both South Korea and Thailand. Many South Koreans apologised on the driver’s behalf, and some urged her to report the incident to the police.
Social media reactions
People called it sexual harassment and demanded strict punishment, with some saying his personal details should be made public.
Some also suggested that the driver’s licence should be cancelled to prevent such incidents in future. The case has led to widespread anger and calls for better safety measures for tourists and stricter rules for drivers.
“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,” SCMP quoted a user as saying.
“We should punish this driver severely for sexual harassment or at least make his personal information public,” commented another.
Currently, South Korean law only punishes physical harassment in public, not verbal abuse. However, it does have an “insult law”.
“A person who publicly insults another shall be punished by imprisonment or imprisonment without prison labour for not more than one year or by a fine not exceeding two million won,” says Article 311 of the South Korean law.