Seoul govt cracks down on hotels near BTS comeback concert

Some accommodation facilities failed to display price lists or business registration certificates.. Read more at straitstimes.com.

SEOUL – The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on March 8 that it has uncovered multiple violations of lodging regulations near the venue of an upcoming concert by K-pop boy band BTS.

Violations come amid the authorities stepping up inspections ahead of the group’s comeback event scheduled for March 21 in Gwanghwamun Square.

According to the city, 18 out of 83 accommodation facilities inspected in Jongno-gu and Jung-gu were found to violate lodging regulations, mainly for failing to display required price lists or business registration certificates.

Under the Public Health Control Act, lodging operators must display their business registration certificates inside the premises and post accommodation price lists at the front desk and charge customers according to those rates.

The city began monitoring lodging facilities in areas near the concert venue in January after the Korea Heritage Service conditionally approved the use of historic sites for the BTS event.

As part of the effort to prevent price gouging and stabilise accommodation costs, honorary public health inspectors monitored 569 lodging facilities between Aug 2 and 4 and identified establishments that had not posted their rates, prompting the intensive crackdown.