"Cutting in Line as a Team?" Chinese 'Daigou' Shoppers Cause Chaos at Incheon Airport

At the departure hall of Incheon International Airport, dozens of passengers are seen sprinting toward the check-in counters all at once.

Some were even captured crouching down, pushing their luggage while sliding under the safety barriers.

After this video, filmed on the third floor of Incheon Airport's Terminal 1 on the morning of July 8, spread on social media, some netizens even questioned its authenticity, suggesting it might be a "fake video created by AI."

It has been confirmed that similar situations have occurred five times just this month.

Airport authorities believe that Chinese daigou (cross-border shoppers) and others are rushing forward the moment the counters open to be the first to complete their boarding procedures.

It is reported that staff members managing the lines were struck by the crowd, suffering bruises and abrasions in the process.

Recently, the aircraft used for major routes between Incheon and China were upgraded from Airbus A320s to A350s, increasing seating capacity by over 100 seats, which has intensified the competition for queuing.

As the controversy grew, Incheon International Airport Corporation issued a statement today (July 19) to clarify the situation.

The corporation drew a line, stating that while some social media posts described the incident as "disorder in the arrival hall due to the visa-free policy," this is not true.

They explained that the incident was a case of line-cutting at the China Southern Airlines check-in counter within the departure hall and is unrelated to the visa-free entry of Chinese nationals.

The corporation announced that it would work closely with the airline to promptly implement measures to prevent recurrence.

They plan to install two-tier safety belts to prevent line-cutting and deploy additional security personnel to the site.

They also intend to display digital warning signs stating that boarding procedures may be denied if safety is threatened.

Incheon Airport has recently faced controversy after reports revealed that long-term stayers were monopolizing chairs and power outlets, and even doing laundry and showering in the restrooms.

Reported by Kim Soo-hyung | Video by Na Hong-hee | Graphics by Lee Jung-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.