Korean Media: Tourists Banished from National Heritage Site for Smoking
According to Korean media outlet KOREA WAVE, reporting on October 7: Three Chinese tourists were removed from the front courtyard of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, a designated national heritage site, after being caught smoking. After their removal, the group protested to reporters, saying, “I’m not smoking now—why are you still following me?”
A South Korean visitor present at the scene shouted, “Catch these people—they’re smoking here.” Authorities located the tour guide accompanying the group and instructed, “Please have your tourists leave immediately.” According to reports, the visitors did not depart right away but instead took commemorative photographs before leaving.
When questioned about their nationality and actions, one of the men acknowledged being Chinese but stated, “I don’t smoke. You’ve made a mistake.” However, a distinct odor of tobacco was detectable on him.
As multiple witnesses pointed out, “We saw you smoking,” the man responded, “That’s extremely impolite. I’m not smoking now—why are you still targeting me?”
In addition to the smoking incident, staff reported instances of tourists touching restricted cultural artifacts or entering prohibited areas within the palace grounds.
According to Gyeongbokgung officials, some visitors have been seen breaching paper barriers to enter restricted zones or consuming food in areas where eating is forbidden.
Staff also reported finding discarded containers containing human waste. Cleaning personnel said, “I had to clean up twice. It’s infuriating. Whether this stems from cultural differences or a lack of basic etiquette, I can’t say.”
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1878350555815946/
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