If a Taxi Charges 23,400 Won More Than the Meter, One Photo of the Receipt Is All the Evidence You Need

A foreign tourist took a taxi from Gimpo International Airport to a guesthouse in Seoul's Yeonhui-dong neighborhood. When the ride ended, the meter read 32,600 won, but the driver demanded 56,000 won. Had the passenger paid without question, they would have been overcharged by 23,400 won, 72% more than the metered fare. The case came to light only because the passenger reported it, leading to disciplinary action against the driver; otherwise it would have gone unnoticed.

How to report: scan the QR code posted inside the taxi right after getting off to file a complaint instantly, or call Seoul's citizen hotline, Dasan Call Center, at 120. Reports received: 487 complaints from foreign visitors between June and December 2025, with "unfair fare" the most common complaint (167 cases, or 34.3%, in December alone). Run by: Seoul Metropolitan Government. Since December 2025, taxi receipts in Seoul also show the fare, boarding and drop-off times, and any surcharge in English.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the city has placed QR codes inside taxis since June 2025 so that foreign passengers can answer a short survey in English, Chinese or Japanese right after they get off. Reported information is cross-checked against the vehicle's license plate and trip records, and if overcharging is confirmed, the driver faces an administrative fine or other penalty.

Overcharging is especially common on long rides from the airport into the city, or when traffic is congested. Common tactics include not running the meter at all, or inflating the "clock-rate surcharge," a time-based charge added during slow traffic, beyond what is actually owed. Passengers should always ask for a receipt to check the fare and any surcharge, then report immediately after getting out, either by scanning the QR code or calling 120.

Dasan Call Center, which operates around the clock and offers support in English, Chinese and Japanese, forwards reports to the city, which cross-checks them against vehicle records. Since unfair-fare complaints were the single largest category among the 487 reports filed by foreign visitors between June and December 2025, filing a report even for a small overcharge helps authorities flag repeat offenders and prevent future harm to other travelers.