Tourist police, useful information for tourism in Korea

▲ Tourist police patrolling a Hongdae street

Launched in October 2003, tourist police is receiving good response from foreign tourists in Korea by providing tourism security service such as cracking down on illegal activities as well as preventing crimes which take place in major tourism attractions.  

The tourist police is patrolling well-known tourism attractions including Hongdae, Itaewon, Dondamun, Insa-dong, Myeong-dong, City Hall, Deoksugung Palace, Namdaemun on a regular basis. In particular, many foreign tourists are visiting a Hongdae street in Seoul, because they can have direct access to the street through Hongdae Station on an airport railway.  

In addition, tourists can get help from tourist police by dialing 1330 for interpretation service. Stations used by many foreigners such as Incheon, Gimpo Airport Station and Hongdae Station are installing 1330 hot line and foreign tourists can use the tourist police service by inquiring a station officer.  

​▲ Tourist police building a good reputation with tourism information and security service for foreigners / source of a picture: Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency

Following Seoul, Pusan and Incheon launched Tourist Police Unit on July 3rd and 4th respectively. As a result, both domestic and foreign tourists can enjoy tourism without a concern of security.

Members of the tourist police are selected among police officers with fluency in foreign languages such as English, Chinese and Japanese. Therefore, they have no communication problem with foreign tourists. Unlike other police officers, tourist officers wear a black beret and blue uniform. And “TOURIST POLICE” symbolizing a tourist police is marked on the left arm of the uniform. A small circular badge on the chest shows which language is available. The color of a badge indicates an available language and English is blue, Chinese is yellow and Japanese is pink.     

Meanwhile, tourist police in Incheon began its operation ahead of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games in September attracting much public attention. Consisted of 24 members of officers, the Incheon tourist police will act in major tourism attractions such as Incheon Airport, Songdo and Chinatown and plans to strengthen patrol around a main stadium.

The Incheon Asian Games held in Sep. 19th – Oct. 4^th is expected to attract more than 13,000 athletes from 45 countries and significant numbers of foreign tourists will visit Korea not only for cheering for their national players but for tourism. 

In the main stadium where an opening, closing and track and field games will be held, an information booth dedicated for tourism police will be installed and these officers will provide tourism information, interpretation service.

The Incheon Games will be held in 49 stadiums with 36 games and many stadiums are located nearby Airport Railway stations. A main stadium, swimming pool, fencing, horse-riding stadium, and golf course are close to Geumam station and an archery field and cycling arena are located nearby Gyeyang station on the airport railway. During the Asian Games, shuttle buses will run from a station to a stadium and tourists will be able to see tourist police around these stadiums doing their best for the safety of tourists.