More than half of surveyed Korean users report losses as Seoul calls for tighter oversight of overseas lodging platforms Close-up of a person searching for hotels through an app (Getty Image) More than half of consumers who used global accommodation booking platforms reported financial losses, according to a Seoul city government survey released Monday.The survey found that 55 percent of 1,000 respondents who had used overseas lodging platforms within the past three years suffered financial losses when booking accommodations through services including Agoda, Airbnb, Expedia, Booking.com, Trip.com and Hotels.com.The findings come as Seoul seeks stronger oversight of overseas booking services, which have become increasingly popular among Korean travelers but have also generated a growing number of consumer complaints.The most commonly cited sources of dissatisfaction were misleading or exaggerated advertising about accommodation facilities and refund or cancellation penalty issues, each cited by 26 percent of respondents.Other complaints involved unclear pricing practices, including the exclusion of taxes and service fees from advertised rates.A separate monitoring exercise conducted by the city and a consumer advocacy group found that some platforms showed room rates before adding taxes and fees at the payment stage.The practice, often referred to as a “dark pattern,” can lead consumers to believe accommodations are cheaper than they actually are, the city said.Investigators also found cases in which important information, including cancellation penalties and nonrefundable booking conditions, was displayed in small print or presented in ways that made it difficult for consumers to notice.The survey further identified cases in which platforms took a limited role in resolving disputes, directing customers to contact overseas accommodation providers directly over refund or cancellation issues.City officials said such responses can make it difficult for consumers to pursue complaints because of language barriers and limited access to information.Among respondents who reported losses, 75 percent said the amount involved was less than 300,000 won ($198), including those who lost less than 100,000 won ($66).Only 10 percent of consumers said their disputes had been fully resolved, while 64 percent said their cases were only partially resolved and 26 percent said their complaints remained unresolved.The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it plans to ask the Fair Trade Commission and authorities overseeing the platforms to strengthen supervision and consumer protection measures.Under Korea's Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce, intermediaries involved in online transactions are required to promptly address consumer complaints and disputes arising from the use of their platforms.The city also plans to introduce a regular assessment system to evaluate whether booking platforms meet consumer protection obligations and publicly disclose the results.“Use of overseas accommodation booking platforms continues to increase, but consumer losses are repeatedly occurring because responsibility is often unclear when disputes arise,” said Kim Myung-sun, director of fair economy policy at the Seoul Metropolitan Government.“We will use the findings of this survey to recommend institutional improvements and encourage greater accountability among platform operators to strengthen consumer protection.”