Prosecutors seek 6 months for man accused of molesting tourist in Busan

Prosecutors are seeking a six-month prison sentence for a Japanese man accused of molesting a Chinese tourist and urinating on her in Busan.

The Busan District Court held a hearing Friday for the man, in his 30s, who was indicted on charges including indecent assault.

He allegedly touched the Chinese tourist’s head while she was asleep in a shared room at a guesthouse in Busanjin District on April 15. He is also accused of lowering his pants beside her bed and exposing himself, then allegedly urinating on the woman’s foot and her suitcase.

The man admitted to all charges during Friday’s hearing. Prosecutors asked the court to sentence him to six months in prison, order him to complete a sexual violence treatment program and impose an order requiring disclosure and notification of his personal information along with a three-year restriction on his employment.

“I am deeply sorry for causing the victim emotional distress,” the man said in his final statement. “I will never forget what happened and will never commit such an offense again.”

The case became widely known after the Chinese tourist described the incident in a post on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform. The post spread rapidly online and drew more than 30 million views.

The court is scheduled to deliver its ruling on Aug. 12.

BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]