Ugly Chinese tourists

중국관광객의추태

The duty free areas of Jeju International Airport often resemble the scenes left ravaged by a swarm of locusts that cut a vast swath across crop fields. 요즘제주국제공항에있는면세점주변은메뚜기떼가지나간쑥대밭으로변한곡창지대를방불케한다.

In the place of old skins cast off on the path of the growing armies of bugs is a sea of wrappings from merchandise that Chinese tourists litter the floors with after unpacking them so they can carry back the contents alone, while reducing the volume of their baggage.

메뚜기군단이지나가는길에허물을벗어놓은것처럼면세지역엔중국관광객이고향으로돌아가는길에짐의부피를줄이기위해구매한물품의내용물만쏙빼고버린포장지가바닥에강처럼널려져있다. Horror stories abound among employees at these shops. 면세점종업원사이엔중국관광객관련괴담이적지않다.

One common thread that has extensively been reported recently is about Chinese tendencies to spit on the floor. The second is about their habit of smoking in nonsmoking areas. The third is about their playing poker or mahjong in waiting areas, while eating food. 최근 보도된 것중널리 회자되는 것은 중국인들이 침 뱉고, 금연 구역을 가리지 않고담배를피우고바닥에주저앉아음식을먹으면서포커나마작을하는추태다.

They rarely clean themselves, according to reports. Also raising the eyebrows of other visitors is the case of “toilet cultural differences,” in which the Chinese unaccustomed to using flush toilets do their private task while squatting on the seat with shoes on.

보도에따르면더욱볼썽사나운일은이렇게버려놓고는치울생각조차하지않는다는것이다. 특히이들중 일부는‘수세식 변기에 익숙하지 않아’신발을 신고변기에올라가볼일을보고후속조치없이사라진다는것이다.

One reported account has a Chinese tourist blocking a Japanese visitor from leaving a watch shop, insisting that Japanese should relinquish the merchandise he had paid for because he liked it. 또다른경우에는중국관광객이 일본인이산시계를자기마음에든다며반품을요구하고실랑이를벌인사례도있다. Airport authorities complain that their efforts to encourage Chinese tourists to mind their manners have not worked but using a more forceful approach is often set aside because Korea’s tourism industry relies heavily on the Chinese.

공항당국자들은중국인들에게예의를지킬것을계도하고있으나별성과를거두지못하고있으며,국내관광업을좌지우지하는중국관광객의비위를거슬리지않기위해강력한조치를취하지못하고있다. This year, Korea hopes to draw 17 million foreign tourists with over one third of them being Chinese. Now, the industry is reeling from a reduced number of Chinese visiting Korea after bilateral relations suffered a setback from Korea’s planned deployment of a U.S. anti-missile interceptor or THAAD.올해 한국은 1,700만 명의해외 관광객을 유치할 계획이며 이중 1/3 이상이 중국인이다. 현재관광업계는사드배치문제등으로인한한중관계악화로중국관광객이감소해적잖은손해를보고있는상황이다.

Still, it is important to use awareness campaigns with varying degrees of strength and content because Chinese tourists are guests and it is our duty as hosts to treat them kindly. 그러나강도와내용을달리하는캠페인을이용해계도노력을다양화해중국관광객들이불편을느끼기지않고예의를지킬수있도록장려해야한다. Chinese are just beginning to cash in on their newly found riches with overseas travels being part of their new package of privileges. 중국인들은 최근 생활이 윤택해졌고 해외 여행이라는 특권도 누리기 시작했다. With any other nations on such fast-track development, they follow the path of “ugly Americans” or “ugly Koreans.” For Chinese to graduate early from the “learning curve,” the best way is to learn for themselves. 다른 나라들도 생활의 여유가 생기면서 거쳤던 시행착오를 중국도 겪고 있는 것이다. ‘어글리 아메리칸’또는 `어글리 코리안’으로 불리며 두 나라의 관광객들이 조롱 받았던것이그리오래전의일이 아니다. 다만중국은선례를통해‘학습 효과’를 체득하도록하는최선의방법을취할수 있다.

That learning experience may start by having themselves in other people’s shoes: thinking how unpleasant they would find it if others acted without manners such as they do.

이런배움의경험은다른상대편의입장에서상황을바라보는것이 중요하다. 중국인들이다른사람이본인들의예의없는행위에대해어떻게생각하는지를알게된다면두번다시그런행동을하지않을가능성이높다. 2월21일 (화) The Korea Times 사설