August 9, 2024
In a bizarre twist, South Korea's reputation as a tech-savvy nation has turned into a liability for foreign tourists. Despite being an IT powerhouse, the country's peculiar regulations and indigenous services have created a "tourist Galapagos" where visitors are left feeling frustrated and disconnected.
Imagine arriving in a country where Google
Maps, a staple for navigation, is rendered useless. Welcome to South Korea,
where the government's restrictions on map information have made it impossible
for foreigners to get directions, identify themselves, or make payments. It's a
far cry from Japan, where tourists can effortlessly navigate the streets of
Tokyo with the help of Google Maps.
The Korea Tourism Organization proudly announced that 7.7 million foreign tourists visited South Korea in the first half of this year, a 73.8% increase from the same period last year. However, this influx of visitors has only highlighted the country's IT shortcomings. New travel trends, such as ordering food for delivery, have emerged, but most major delivery apps do not offer foreign language services, making it nearly impossible for foreigners to order food.
On Reddit, a social networking site, many users have vented their frustrations about the difficulties of ordering delivery food in South Korea. The "identity verification" process, which requires a Korean cell phone number or credit card, is a significant hurdle. Some companies have started to make it easier for foreigners to order, but many still complain that it is difficult to use their cards.
The biggest problem, however, is the use of navigation applications. According to a survey of foreign tourists, map apps were the most dissatisfying aspect of traveling in Korea. Google Maps, which is widely used abroad, is not fully available in Korea due to government restrictions. Naver Maps and Kakao Maps, which support foreign languages, require additional apps to be installed, and many users are not satisfied with them.
"Korea is increasingly recognized as a K-culture powerhouse," said one user, "but it doesn't provide a reliable international map service, which makes tourists feel uncomfortable." Another commented, "I wish the service would be built from the perspective of foreign tourists using apps that Koreans use well. There needs to be a way to eliminate the complicated authentication process."
The industry emphasizes the need to build an 'integrated gateway app' to ease the inconvenience of foreign tourists visiting Korea. However, this solution seems like a Band-Aid on a deeper wound. The real problem lies in the country's regulatory framework, which prioritizes domestic convenience over international compatibility.
"Korea's excellent digital services are paradoxically exacerbating the Galapagos phenomenon," said Kyu-Wan Choi, a professor at Kyung Hee University. "If policy makers in the private sector and government look at it from the tourist's perspective, they can quickly solve the problem with domestic technology." But until then, foreign tourists will continue to struggle in South Korea's IT wilderness.