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Tourists investigated over assault of Gyeongbok Palace guard

Published: 12 Feb. 2026, 20:17

An aerial view of Gyeongbok Palace in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Feb. 2 [NEWS1]

Two tourists assaulted a security guard at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul after they were stopped from entering a restricted area to take photos, police said Thursday.

The Jongno Police Precinct said it is investigating the pair on suspicion of assault and plans to forward the case to prosecutors.

The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 2 near Hyangwonjeong, a pavilion inside the palace's garden in Jongno District, police said.

The men were part of a group of tourists who tried to cross a control line installed to protect heritage assets. The guard's attempt to stop the suspects resulted in an assault, according to police.

Officers responded to a report from on-site staff and took the two to a nearby police substation for questioning on a voluntary basis.

The guard works for the state-run Korea Heritage Service, which manages the site, but does not hold civil servant status, so authorities did not apply charges of obstruction of official duty.

The tourists left the country the following day after questioning.

“The investigation is nearly complete and we plan to forward the case to prosecutors,” a police official said.

Police said prosecutors are likely to pursue a summary indictment. If a court imposes a fine and the men fail to pay, authorities will seek collection measures.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]