Korean Job Discussion Forums

[coralreefer_1]

Here is something I have been wondering over the past few weeks. It relates to an incident I had up in Gangneung a few weeks ago during my vacation.

Long story short, My finace and I drive up there on the recommendation from her sister that this was a great snorkeling area. I made the mistake of taking provincial roads that were on a more direct course rather than the expressway...and we didnt arrive until just after dark.

We arrived at Sacheonjin beach, but the surf was WAY rough, it was very windy, and beach was closed for swimming..etc etc

Down on the southern tip of the beach however, there was a small stand of trees. It was more like a park for scenic walks, with a stone-paved road running through it where people were camping/cooking. Right beside that park was a rather large tent/canopy store with an ajussi inside selling snacks, street food, beer..etc.

We asked some people about camping there, and were told to talk to the ajussi...whom informed us we had to pay him 30,000won to camp in that tiny little park area..a place we would have been literally 2 meters away from the next tent.

It didnt seem right to me, and I refused to pay a man for the privilege of camping on some hard surface with noise all night on property I feel certain he did not own.

Here is my question and I am hoping someone may be able to shed some light. Do ganster ajussis like that get permits from the city or local dong office to basically "control" their little area..and charge whatever they think people are willing to pay for their streetfood/goods/camping? I know this stuff happens all over the place concerning food...but it just seems a bit overboard when someone can charge money for use of land that isn't even theirs (perhaps it was, but I highly doubt it)

[schwa]

I dont know how the system works exactly but thats how things go in Sokcho too in the summer months. Individuals are given rights to charge for prime camping & beach areas. I'm guessing they had to pay substantial licence fees to the local govt which go back into general maintenance & development costs.

High tourist season generates a lot of local income. Nothing underhanded as far as I know.

[optik404]

The ajhussi in your story doesn't sound like a gangster at all.

The ahjusshi at the chicken place told me I had to pay for the chicken! Probably a crip gangster from LA.

The ahjusshi taxi driver asked for his fare! Damn taxi gangsters taking over Korea.

How some of you survive being paranoid 24/7 is beyond me.

[coralreefer_1]

[Steelrails]

Get the gangsters who cleared out the street stands in Gangnam to come down and clear him out!

[optik404]

[coralreefer_1]

The issue wasnt the money. I wouldnt have camped there even if it were free because he said we couldn't set up in the sand, could only set up in the brick-covered park area right beside his store with hordes of other people right there shooting off fireworks and partying all night.

I'm not sure why its so hard for you to comprehend, but let me try to ask the question again. Do dealers like him pay money/get a permit from the city/district for the rights to set up someplace and charge people for the use of the land that would otherwise be public space?

LOL at complaining. I didn't care one bit, we moved on down to another beach and spot where there were no people and has a grand ol time with no issues at all. The thread is not about griping about the old man..the thread is to get at information about whether such activity is legal.

[Who's Your Daddy?]

I don't know the answer to your question, but agree with your thinking - it's just a guy who's decided to make money off a public place.

Similarly, there are a few streets in my city where there's a guy on a scooter charging people to parallel park along it. The guy has no uniform or badges or anything official - it's just a guy on a scooter.

[le-paul]

[CentralCali]

For the pay-parking on the street mentioned in the two posts above, there is a sign dictating the times and fees for pay-parking. The folks collecting the money are working for the city--I don't know if they're contractors or hired outright. At least that's the way it works in Busan.

[Steelrails]

[CentralCali]