“In an effort to alleviate inconvenience to residents caused by excessive tourism, Jongno-gu, Seoul is imposing restrictions on visiting hours in Bukchon.”
“Jongno-gu of Seoul announced that starting tomorrow (1st), it will officially implement a policy limiting visiting hours in the ‘Red Zone,’ a specially managed area in Bukchon, and will impose fines for violations.”
“As a result, visitors will only be allowed in the 34,000 square meters around Bukchon-ro 11-gil between 10 AM and 5 PM, and access for the purpose of tourism outside of these hours will incur a fine of 100,000 won.”
“However, residents, their families, acquaintances, customers of shops within the area, merchants, and guests who are not engaging in ‘touristic activities’ are exempt from these restrictions.”
“Jongno-gu defines ‘touristic activities’ as actions such as taking photos or videos, lingering while observing the surroundings, and wandering the streets for tourism purposes unrelated to using shops.”
“Jongno-gu stated, ‘We hope Bukchon residents can enjoy a more stable daily life, and that most tourists passing through Jongno and Bukchon will practice proper tourism culture within the designated time,’ adding, ‘We are fully aware of the challenges faced by local merchants and are considering additional measures to alleviate them.'”