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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] SEOUL, October 27, 2025 — South Korean lawmakers have criticized the country’s major airports for failing to properly manage crowd congestion and safety risks caused by large gatherings of fans during celebrity departures, as personal flight information continues to circulate online.
During a parliamentary audit session of the Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) and the Korea Airports Corporation (KAC), lawmaker Jeon Yong-gi revealed that celebrities’ flight details are being sold on social media for as little as ₩1,000 (US$0.70). “Back in 2017, such information was reportedly sold for ₩30,000, but as the price fell, trading became even more active,” Jeon said.
He added that fans seeking to photograph celebrity departures mark spaces on terminal floors with “reserved” signs to secure favorable viewing spots. “The airport corporation appears to be neglecting this issue entirely,” Jeon stated.
Responding to the criticism, Incheon International Airport CEO Lee Hak-jae said, “There are legal limitations to removing individuals’ personal belongings, but we will work with police and review legal measures to eradicate this practice.”
Separately, Rep. Yoon Jae-ok of the People Power Party highlighted that airport-use plans submitted by celebrities before departure have become largely ineffective and perfunctory.
Yoon revealed that between 2024 and August 2025, only four of nine celebrity departures via Gimpo Airport were accompanied by properly submitted travel plans. At Incheon International Airport, out of 566 plans submitted since April 2024, 446 (78.8%) were deemed incomplete or insufficient for route tracking, undermining their intended purpose of minimizing disruption for regular passengers.
Yoon urged airport authorities to “implement more effective management systems to ensure that the safety and convenience of ordinary travelers are not compromised by celebrity-related congestion.”
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
