Chinese Woman Boards Airport Bus With Only 10,000 Won, Delaying Departure

[Financial News] A story has emerged about an airport bus bound for Incheon International Airport being delayed after a Chinese woman was unable to pay the full fare.
The story became known through a post uploaded to the social media platform Thread on the 8th. The writer said other passengers had to wait for some time because a Chinese woman stood on an airport bus bound for Incheon International Airport without being able to pay the fare.

According to Person A, the airport bus fare was 17,000 won. However, the woman had only 10,000 won in cash, and her transportation card was declined because it had insufficient balance.
Person A described the situation, saying, "I tapped the bus card, but it said there was insufficient balance." Person A added, "When the driver said, 'Cash, please,' she just stood there holding only 10,000 won."
The bus driver reportedly tried to let the woman board by accepting part of the fare in cash and charging the remainder to her card. Person A said, "The driver was trying to take her anyway. He accepted 10,000 won in cash and tried charging 7,000 won and then 5,000 won to the bus card, but with all the passengers waiting, he seemed increasingly anxious."
The woman reportedly borrowed money from a Chinese couple of the same nationality who boarded afterward and then paid the fare. The bus driver is said to have apologized several times to the passengers who had been waiting.
Person A said the woman's attitude was difficult to understand. "The driver was trying to help her somehow, but she just stood there blankly with only 10,000 won, which was absurd," Person A said. "People take airport buses to make their flights on time, so the whole thing was ridiculous."
As the post spread, suspicions also arose that she had attempted to ride without paying.
Some online users suspected that the woman had deliberately tried to avoid paying the fare.
One online user claimed that a similar method was being shared online. "In China, people are saying on the internet that this is how to ride a bus for free in Korea," the user said. "When people tap a bus card and it shows insufficient balance or does not work, Korean drivers are usually in a hurry and simply let them board, so the idea is to just stand your ground. They should remove such passengers from the bus without hesitation."
Another online user claimed to have had a similar experience. "I travel abroad at least twice a month, and this is not the first or second time I've seen Chinese people like this," the user said. "They should never be allowed to board if they have not paid."
Recently, unverified accounts have continued to appear online alleging that some Chinese tourists visiting Korea tapped transportation cards with insufficient balances on bus terminals and boarded without paying the fare.
Person B, who said she visited Jeju Province with her daughter, also posted a similar experience on Instagram. Person B said they took Bus 101 at Jeju International Airport, and an announcement saying "No balance" was heard each time one passenger tapped a transportation card on the terminal.
Person B said the repeated situation made her suspicious. "At first, I thought it was nothing unusual, but at every stop, a Chinese passenger with no balance would board," she said. "Could they be deliberately not topping up their cards because the driver lets them ride anyway?"

[email protected] Han Seung-gon Reporter