[iNews24 reporter Kim Da-woon] A stall at Gwangjang Market that faced accusations of overcharging after selling bottled water to a foreign visitor for 2,000 KRW (about $1.50) has been suspended.
On the 24th, the Gwangjang Market stall merchants' association said it disciplined the vendor and ordered a three-day suspension, effective April 22 through 24.
An association official explained that, because these are street stalls, some vendors buy 1.8-liter bottles and pour the water into cups, which some foreigners reportedly mistook for leftover water.
The official added that, as these are individually run businesses, the association cannot set uniform prices. Still, it expects vendors will adopt reasonable pricing going forward in response to the incident.
Earlier, on the 16th, a video showing a foreign YouTuber living in Korea asking a stall for water, being handed a 500-milliliter bottle, and told the price was 2,000 KRW (about $1.50) circulated online and sparked controversy.
A, a Myanmar national who has lived in Korea for 13 years, told JTBC's 'Case Files' that he visited Gwangjang Market with a Russian friend.
They ordered dumplings, japchae and a bottle of soju at one stall, then asked for water. The vendor said it would cost 2,000 KRW (about $1.50). However, the water A received was an unlabelled 500-milliliter PET bottle.
When A, puzzled, said, "This is the first time I've seen places in Korea charge for water," the vendor replied, "There are a lot of foreigners here at Gwangjang Market."
When A joked that they were Koreans too, the vendor said Koreans were charged the same way.
A told the program that, while he understood selling bottled water, he had never been separately charged for water at a restaurant or stall before and was frankly taken aback.
