More Reports of Corrupt Taxi Drivers at Incheon Airport

I posted a couple of months ago about the KBS report I saw on television about Incheon International Airport taxi drivers overcharging foreigners.  Courtesy of the Marmot he has translated a Hankyoreh report of an investigation they have done as well into the corruption of the airport taxi drivers. 

For instance, a taxi ride from Incheon Airport to Seoul City Hall normally costs 40,000 won (by normal taxi) and 70,000 won (by call van), but these jokers were charging 150,000 won.

Police said that the “bonbang” would not allow other taxi drivers to work in their turf, assaulting drivers who tried. In May, gang members beat the crap out of a taxi driver who didn’t belong to the “bonbang,” leaving the victim with wounds that took four weeks to heal.

Police are investigating whether the “bonbang” used violence or threats on the foreigners they overcharged as well.

An employee at a hotel in Myeongdong said there are at least one or two arguments a week between foreigners and “call van” taxi drivers over fares. He also said — sit down for this — that taxi drivers regularly overcharge US soldiers (!), referring to the hapless GIs as “butter.”

Just for the record the vast majority of taxi cab drivers in Seoul and Korea in general are quite honest and will give you no problems.  However, there are certain areas where the cab drivers are some of the lowest scum you will find in Korea and Incheon airport is just one of those places.  If you are a foreigner, do not take a taxi from Incheon airport; take either the bus or the new installed train.  The bus is much cheaper than a taxi and more comfortable as well with its large, spacious seats.  The train is also cheap, quite comfortable, and uncrowded.  The only downside with the train is that it only goes as far as Kimpo Airport where you have to transfer on to the subway, but construction is continuing on the line to take the train all the way to downtown Seoul.  Both these options are much better than taking a taxi cab. 

I have long pointed out on this blog that other places to watch out for dishonest cab drivers is Uijongbu, particularly the Uijongbu train station and Stanleyville, as well as in the city of Dongducheon.  These cab drivers regularly rip off soldiers and even try to provoke incidents in hopes of big payoffs. 

These taxi drivers are vultures who are looking to rip off GIs. They know that the GI’s are desperate to get back to camp before curfew, so they feel free to charge exuberant fees, knowing full well that the soldier will more than likely pay it because they have to get back to camp. However, sometimes when you got a GI that is drunk and the cab driver tries to rip him off, tensions mount and the incidents occur. It is not an excuse for a soldier to get in a scuffle with a taxi driver, but it is just the reality of what is happening.  The foreigners at the airport are just getting a taste of what soldiers in Uijongbu and Dongducheon have to regulary deal with in regards to cab drivers.  So will there ever be undercover investigation of the cab drivers in Uijongbu and Dongducheon?  Probably not, but the uncovering of the corrupt cab drivers at Incheon airport is at least a start.