Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label Chimaek

Drinking in Public in Korea: The Han River Is Legal, and the Big Fine Isn't for Alcohol

The Han River at Banpo. Photo: Seo Mun-gyo — Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) Your first warm evening in Seoul, the riverbank fills up: picnic mats, fried chicken boxes, beer cans. If you come from a country where an open container in a public park gets you a ticket, your first thought is the obvious one. It's legal. Seoul publishes a list of 15 prohibited acts for Han River Park, and drinking is not one of them. But there is a fine worth knowing about, and it starts at 1,000,000 won . The list of 15, in full The rules come from the Seoul Metropolitan Government Basic Ordinance on the Preservation and Use of Han River Park, Article 17 , with penalty amounts set in its Schedule 3. The city publishes both. Prohibited act Fine (1st / 2nd / 3rd offence) 1 Damaging or killing trees and plants 100,000 2 Severe noise or odour, or drunken disorder 70,000 3 Not picking up after your pet 70,000 4 Unlicensed street vending 70,000 5 Dog off...