Locals riled by foreign-language signs and menus in S. Korea

Signboards that are not written in Hangul, or Korean alphabet, are considered illegal

South Koreans have noticed a change in their country in recent years: More signboards and restaurant menus are being written in foreign languages.

This has left some of them frustrated, reported local media recently.

A 35-year-old office worker in Seoul, known only as Kim, made a reservation last week at a Japanese restaurant, which had a Korean name online, The Korea Times reported.

But he could not find the restaurant when he arrived at the location as the signboard was in Japanese.

"I had to call the restaurant after going around the block several times because I couldn't find it," Mr Kim told the daily.

In a building in the Apgujeong ward of Gangnam district, most signs were written in English, noted the Korea JoongAng Daily.

A sign in the basement, which has a shopping area and is connected to the Apgujeong subway station, has the English word "Retail" and a symbol of a train.

The report said that seven out of eight cafes in the same alley as the building put up signs in English only.