Safety & Community Rules

1. Why these rules exist

local/seoul introduces strangers to one another. That only works if both sides can trust the process. These rules describe what we do to keep meetups safe, what we expect from every User, and what happens when someone breaks the rules. They apply to Travelers and Locals equally and form part of our Terms of Service.

Nothing here replaces your own judgement. If a situation feels wrong, leave. You never owe anyone a meetup.

2. What we do on our side

• Identity verification: every Local submits a masked government ID before appearing on the Service. We check that the name and photo match the profile.
• Staged contact exchange: a Local sees only a Traveler's first name and request details until they accept. Contact details are shared only after acceptance, and only between the two matched parties.
• Public place requirement: a Local must propose a public venue when accepting. Requests for private homes, hotel rooms, or vehicles are rejected.
• Time-limited links: acceptance links expire after 72 hours; meetup tokens are single-use.
• 24-hour report handling: a person, not a bot, reads every safety report and replies within 24 hours.
• Permanent bans: serious violations lead to an immediate, permanent ban, and we keep a record to prevent re-registration.

Verification confirms an identity document, not a person's character. Please still follow the rules below.

3. Before you meet

• Confirm the time and the exact public place through the contact details we shared. Do not move the first meeting to a private location.
• Tell a friend or family member who you are meeting, where, and when. Share your live location if you are comfortable doing so.
• Keep your phone charged and carry a way to get home on your own (transit card, taxi app).
• Travelers: make sure the name on the Local's messages matches the first name we showed you. Locals: the Traveler's name should match the request.
• Be honest about party size. A request for 2 people means 2 people show up; do not bring uninvited guests.
• If plans change, say so early. Standing someone up without notice may lead to a warning.

4. During the meetup

• Stay in public. Cafes, restaurants, parks, markets, museums, and busy streets are all good choices for a first meeting.
• Each person pays for their own coffee, food, and tickets unless you both freely agree otherwise. No one may ask the other for money, tips, or "guide fees".
• Drink responsibly or not at all. Never leave a drink unattended, and never pressure anyone to drink.
• Respect boundaries. "No" ends the topic. Unwanted physical contact, sexual comments, or persistent romantic pressure are violations.
• Photos require consent. Ask before taking a photo of the other person, and ask again before posting it anywhere.
• Follow Korean law and local etiquette. Locals are not responsible for a Traveler's legal compliance, and vice versa.
• If you feel unsafe, leave. You do not need an excuse. Call 112 (police, interpretation available) or 119 (fire and ambulance) in an emergency.

5. After the meetup

• You are free to stay in touch, but neither person is obliged to. Do not pressure anyone for further contact.
• Do not share the other person's phone number, email, or photos with third parties without their permission.
• If you want a gift, submit your photo within 14 days through your meetup link or by email. See the Photo & Gift Program Rules.
• Tell us how it went. Honest feedback, positive or negative, helps us decide who stays on the platform.

6. Zero-tolerance violations

The following result in an immediate, permanent ban on the first offence, forfeiture of any pending gift, and, where appropriate, a report to the police:

• Soliciting, offering, or arranging sexual services, escort services, or paid companionship, or steering a meetup toward such an arrangement.
• Demanding or accepting money, tips, or gifts from the other User, or asking to be paid outside the platform.
• Impersonation: using another person's name, ID, or photos; sending a different person to the meetup than the one verified.
• Offering paid tour-guiding, interpretation, or travel-arrangement services without the licence required by Korean law, or using the Service to advertise such services.
• Any violence, threat, stalking, sexual harassment, or non-consensual physical contact.
• Involving or attempting to involve a minor (anyone under 19).
• Fraud in the Photo & Gift Program: edited, staged, AI-generated, or reused photos, or claiming a gift for a meetup that did not happen.
• Discrimination or hate speech based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or similar characteristics.

7. Other violations and how we respond

Less severe issues are handled proportionately. Depending on the circumstances we may issue a written warning, pause your ability to request or accept meetups, withhold a gift, or remove you permanently:

• Repeated no-shows or last-minute cancellations without explanation.
• Changing the agreed public venue to a private one, or pressuring the other person to do so.
• Bringing uninvited people or misrepresenting party size.
• Persistent commercial, religious, or political recruitment.
• Rude or disrespectful behaviour that falls short of harassment.
• Sharing another User's contact details or photos without permission.

We consider the full context, both parties' accounts, and prior history. We may ask for screenshots or other evidence. We do not disclose the identity of a reporter to the person reported.

8. How to report

Email [email protected] with the subject "Report". Include the other person's name as shown on the Service, the meetup date, what happened, and any screenshots. You may report anonymously, although we may not be able to follow up with you.

We acknowledge every safety report within 24 hours and tell you what action we took where we can. If a report involves a possible crime, we will encourage you to contact the police and will cooperate with any official investigation.

Emergency numbers in Korea: 112 (police, foreign-language interpretation available), 119 (fire and ambulance), 1330 (Korea Travel Hotline, 24 hours, multilingual). You can also contact your embassy or consulate in Seoul.

9. Appeals

If you believe a warning, suspension, or ban was issued in error, reply to the notice within 14 days with your account of events. A different staff member will review the decision and respond within 10 business days. Bans for zero-tolerance violations are reviewed only where new evidence is presented.

10. Relationship to the Terms and changes

These rules form part of the Terms of Service and are governed by the laws of the Republic of Korea. Where these rules and the Terms conflict, the stricter safety requirement applies. We may update these rules as we learn from the pilot; the effective date at the top shows the current version.