Korean Ruling Party Backs Initiative to Tax Foreign Tourists Visiting Seoul

The DPK is claiming that residents in Seoul are not seeing the benefits of the tourism boom and thus why a tax on foreign tourists is needed. This is a fabrication because all those tourists are staying in Seoul hotels, restaurants, and shopping at the stores there. This is all economic activity that is being taxed that benefits the residence of Seoul already:

The increasing number of international tourists visiting Korea has prompted calls to review the introduction of a tourist tax to cover local government expenses to address problems resulting from overtourism.

The idea was floated recently by Lee Dong-hyun of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), a candidate for head of Jung District in central Seoul, with party leaders also supporting the suggestion.

Lee has made an international tourist tax a centerpiece of his campaign pledges, promising to turn the tourism boom into benefits for residents.

“Jung District is the most visited district in Korea among foreigners, yet the burden of waste and noise falls entirely on residents,” Lee said during a Sunday campaign rally. “But not a single benefit from that prosperity flows back to our residents. I will absolutely open the floodgates of our district’s development through the introduction of a foreign tourist tax.”

Korea Times

You can read more at the link, but this is typical politics to where you propose a tax against people that have no say in it to appear to benefit the people that are voting for you. Over time the politicians continue to increase the tourism tax for more easy money. However, the benefit over time will collapse when international tourists don’t want to visit Seoul any more because it becomes too expensive.

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Mad Bob
Mad Bob
1 month ago

You can read more at the link, but this is typical politics to where you propose a tax against people that have no say in it to appear to benefit the people that are voting for you. Over time the politicians continue to increase the tourism tax for more easy money. However, the benefit over time will collapse when international tourists don’t want to visit Seoul any more because it becomes too expensive.

Interesting comment. What do you say about your MAGA president’s $250 visa integrity fee for foreign visitors to the US?

setnaffa
setnaffa
1 month ago

Key Details:

  • Added Cost: The $250 fee is levied in addition to the standard visa processing costs and cannot be waived.
  • Reimbursement: The fee is conceptually designed as a “refundable security deposit” that can be reimbursed after the visa expires.
  • Refund Conditions: To be eligible for reimbursement, you must strictly comply with all visa rules, avoid status violations, and depart the U.S. within 5 days of your authorized stay ending.
  • Implementation Status: While enacted into law, federal agencies have encountered technical and logistical challenges in implementing the reimbursement system and processing structure.

For exact, up-to-date instructions on payment collection and refund eligibility, monitor the U.S. Department of State Visa Information portal or consult the U.S. Embassy & Consulates website in your region.

Mad Bob should learn how to Google and take a better ESL class.

tds
ChickenHead
ChickenHead
1 month ago

“Interesting comment. What do you say about your MAGA president’s $250 visa integrity fee for foreign visitors to the US?”

I say it should be raised to $500.

If you can’t come up with a $500 refundable deposit, stay the fùck out.

Stephen
Stephen
1 month ago

Interesting.

setnaffa has abandoned Grok for Google.

What would Robert Heinlein say?

The Moon Jae-in is a harsh mistress. Spank me now.

Last edited 1 month ago by Stephen
Joshua Lee
Joshua Lee
1 month ago

Again, hypocrisy at its finest. Lee had said himself during his presidential campaign that he believes in the so called “wheel of hotel economy.” That’s what tourism is doing, isn’t it? You want to tax? So, let’s do this – tax heavily on the Chinese.

ChickenHead
ChickenHead
1 month ago

What would Robert Heinlein say?

“Why must you tax the stranger in a strange land?”

Stephen
Stephen
1 month ago

I will pay that CH.

And so will setnaffa when he visits.

As Heinlein wrote:

The Roads must Toll.

Poor old setnaffa forking out his hard earned to Ozzie corporate pirates Macquarie Korea Infrastructure Fund (MKIF).

setnaffa
setnaffa
1 month ago

I figured out Psteven…

HH-pRRga4AEjRLV
Mad Bob
Mad Bob
1 month ago

Implementation Status: While enacted into law, federal agencies have encountered technical and logistical challenges in implementing the reimbursement system and processing structure.

Exactly. None of the foreigners will ever see their money. It’s a US-government-run scam.

https://www.visaverge.com/travel/hawaii-visitors-confront-250-u-s-visa-integrity-fee-starting-oct-1-2025/

For holders of long-validity visas, the wait can stretch for years. A B-2 visa valid for up to 10 years for some nationalities can tie up the $250 long after the traveler’s first or second trip to the United States.

By April 2026, no waivers were available. No evidence of refunds had emerged either, largely because most visas issued since the October 1, 2025 start date were still valid.

ChickenHead
ChickenHead
1 month ago

Mad Bob, as always, you are barking up the wrong tree.

Foreigners who see a few hundred bucks as a big deal are the ones we should be repelling, not attracting.

You keep pointing to a great situation and whining.

Protip: Many things unofficially work like this by intention. When you have to show a fat balance in your bank account, everybody knows you can transfer it in, get a bank statement, and transfer it out. Real playas don’t even have that kind of cash lying around, as it is invested and working for them. The real goal is to see if you can GET a fat wad of cash.

Bonus: Clearly, you have not gotten a Chinese or a Russian visa. The Great Powers are now charging… but non-refundable. They know how to keep the stinkin’ hippie backpackers out.

Mad Bob
Mad Bob
1 month ago

Foreigners who see a few hundred bucks as a big deal are the ones we should be repelling, not attracting.

Which comes right back to ROKDROP’s post:

You can read more at the link, but this is typical politics to where you propose a tax against people that have no say in it to appear to benefit the people that are voting for you. Over time the politicians continue to increase the tourism tax for more easy money. However, the benefit over time will collapse when international tourists don’t want to visit Seoul any more because it becomes too expensive.

Are you claiming he’s wrong?

ChickenHead
ChickenHead
1 month ago

Mad Bob, this is why we cannot have a conversation.

Like many people attracted to Libtardism, you have no ethical, social, or historical framework to base a rational discussion on.

In this case, the comparison you are trying to make has no relation to the situation.

In one case, you have Koreans taxing Koreans for regional interests and creating a perverse incentive to push foreign tourists to other cities.

In the other case, America is not taxing Americans and low-rent foreigners are discouraged from even entering the country.

But in typical libtard fashion, screwing over fellow citizens invested in the success of your shared system while embracing foreign parasites with nothing to offer but an empty hand is exactly what is expected from you.

There is no respect for a dog that shìts in its own house… nor can their be respect for libtards who seek self-sabotage to the point they take the productive class with them.

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