"Got Into a Taxi at Dawn, Woke Up in a Reed Field?"... Jeju Faces Emergency Amid Spread of Rumors

Following a series of recent missing persons and death cases in Jeju, unverified claims continue to spread rapidly, primarily online.

A video titled "The Real Security in Jeju, According to a Jeju Resident" was uploaded to a YouTube channel with about 70,000 subscribers.

In the video, the YouTuber shared an acquaintance's alleged experience, saying, "They drank alcohol at dawn, took a taxi, and fell asleep. When they woke up after some time, they were in the middle of a reed field." The YouTuber added, "The car was parked, the taxi driver was outside talking on the phone, and looking around, nothing could be seen except reeds."

The YouTuber further stated that the woman managed to get out of the back seat, pushed her way through the reed field while the driver was on the phone, and later reported the incident to the police.

The video also mentioned an incident that allegedly occurred at a public restroom near Jeju City Hall.

The claim was that "a man suddenly popped out of the adjacent stall in a women's public restroom near Jeju City Hall and strangled a woman with a cellphone charger cable, and when the woman screamed, a young man from the men's restroom rushed in and caught the perpetrator."

The YouTuber explained, "Since then, safety restroom lights and emergency bells have been installed outside the city hall public restroom."

The YouTuber also claimed that the "visa-waiver" program, which allows foreigners to tour Jeju Island without a Korean visa, is being exploited for crime, citing examples such as a foreign gang robbing a jewelry store and fleeing the country on the first flight at dawn.

Anxiety regarding public safety in Jeju appears to be growing, and voices of concern are rising as even unverified rumors circulate widely.

Experts point out that while safety inspections and enhanced security are necessary across the Jeju region, the online reproduction of sensational tips can create unnecessary fear and conflict among local residents and tourists.

Amid controversies over police ineptitude regarding the successive missing persons cases, coupled with various rumors spreading online, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is pushing for a comprehensive tourism safety network plan in cooperation with the Jeju Tourism Association as a follow-up measure to the "Safe Jeju" countermeasures announced on August 27.

(Produced by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by IYOO | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.