Democratic Party of Korea's Seoul mayoral candidate Chong Won-o speaks in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Friday. (Im Se-jun/The Korea Herald) For Chong Won-o, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s Seoul mayoral candidate, the city's tourism boom is testing its ability to manage its own popularity, with complaints of tourist overcharging beginning to undercut its global appeal.Seoul has rapidly emerged as a new hotspot for international tourists in recent years, drawing visitors with its blend of cultural richness and hypermodern energy, as reflected in Netflix hits such as “KPop Demon Hunters” and “Made in Korea.”But that rise has come with a hidden cost: A mismatch between surging demand and limited local capacity has created room for some vendors to charge arbitrary or inflated prices for goods and services.Chong, who is campaigning ahead of the June 3 local elections, said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Friday that managing the imbalance through a new pricing strategy could be key to the long-term sustainability of tourism in South Korea’s capital."It is just a raw concept for now, but we may introduce peak season rates for tourists, aligning with the global trend in major tourist destinations," Chong said at his election campaign office in Jung-gu, Seoul. "Otherwise, Seoul could face severe criticism for overcharging tourists."Rather than cracking down on vendors here or overlooking their transgressions, Chong said a two-tier pricing system for tourists during high season in sectors beyond accommodation could alleviate concerns about overtourism in the city.At the same time, Chong views that the two-tier system could also boost transparency in local vendors' pricing mechanisms."If we set the same rates for both peak and off-peak seasons, prices will naturally rise due to an imbalance in supply and demand," said the 57-year-old. "The accommodation industry has peak and off-peak seasons, and why not restaurants? Of course, I am talking about (rates for) tourists." Democratic Party's Seoul mayoral candidate Chong Won-o speaks in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Friday. (Im Se-jun/The Korea Herald) Chong's idea came as the Lee Jae Myung administration has called for pricing transparency and sought to tackle unfair practices at local businesses, such as lodging facilities, market vendors or taxis.In its latest initiatives launched in February, the administration aimed to mandate the display of product prices and encourage vendors to disclose seasonal upper price-cap differentials.Seoul, already home to nearly 10 million people, received 14.8 million foreign tourists throughout 2025, up 15.7 percent year-on-year, according to an estimate by Seoul Tourism Organization. The 2025 figure was also 11 percent higher than the pre-COVID-19 high of 13.4 million in 2019.Chong said his idea of introducing a dual-pricing system in Seoul was in part inspired by neighboring Asian countries like India, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as some other countries in Europe and Africa.Crystalizing his idea, however, would require a thorough review."We must reach a social consensus in order to proceed," he said, adding that, for example, there may be conflicting views over how to distinguish between tourists and locals.Before announcing his mayoral bid in March, Chong served as the chief of the ward office in Seongdong-gu, eastern Seoul, for 12 years. Chong was the only ward chief in Seoul’s districts who won a local election three consecutive times.Thanks to urban regeneration projects during his tenure, the Seongsu-dong area in Seongdong-gu has become one of the most vibrant Seoul neighborhoods that international visitors increasingly find appealing. According to Seongdong-gu ward office's estimate, tourists in Seongsu-dong rose from some 60,000 in 2018 to 3 million in 2024.Chong is facing off against the right-wing incumbent mayor Oh Se-hoon. The latest polls showed that Chong was pulling ahead in the race.