Fake video claiming tourists were forced to buy goods on Ulleungdo sparks legal action

Ulleung-gun has launched legal action after a fabricated video claiming tourists were locked up and forced to buy local products on Ulleungdo spread widely online. The county, which has already seen a drop in visitors amid controversy over price gouging, said it would take a hard line against the spread of false information.

In a statement released Tuesday, Ulleung-gun said it would "pursue legal action against the spread of false information that damages the reputation of local businesses and residents and stokes anxiety among tourists."

The video at the center of the controversy was posted to YouTube on Friday. Titled "The forced-purchase incident at the end of an Ulleungdo package tour," the one-minute, 53-second clip claimed that 30 tourists on a two-night, three-day package tour had been locked in a warehouse and pressured into buying local specialty products.

The video alleged that a tour guide locked the tourists in the warehouse about an hour before the ferry's departure and threatened that anyone who did not buy 300,000 won ($227) worth of specialty goods per person would not be allowed to leave for the mainland. It also claimed that when tourists protested out of fear of missing the boat, the guide stood with arms crossed and mocked them.

The video further alleged that one of the tourists called the police and the Korea Coast Guard, and that the guide later transferred 10 million won as compensation and damages. By noon Wednesday, the video had been viewed more than 80,000 times.

North Gyeongsang Province police, however, found no record of any report or dispatch related to the incident described in the video. The clip also contained no photographs or audio recordings to corroborate the claims.

After reviewing the video, Ulleung-gun verified the facts through relevant authorities and requested that YouTube remove it. The county said it is also considering a joint response with small-business associations and other groups.

"We will respond firmly to any acts that harm the local community through false or fabricated information," Ulleung-gun said, urging the public to refrain from sharing and spreading unverified content.

Meanwhile, Ulleungdo's tourism industry has taken a heavy blow from a string of controversies, including price gouging, poor accommodation management and restaurants refusing solo diners. About 172,000 tourists visited the island through July this year, down 36,000 from the same period last year.