Police investigate alleged sexual assault on Chinese tourist by foreign national in Busan

Police are investigating a case in which a Chinese tourist in Busan alleged she was sexually assaulted by a foreign national, after a related post spread on social media.

According to the Busanjin Police Precinct on Saturday, a post was uploaded to the Chinese social media platform Weibo on Friday, in which a Chinese woman said she was sexually assaulted while staying in Korea. According to the post, the woman was staying at a guesthouse in Busan when she was assaulted and insulted by a Japanese man.  

“I woke up to noise and found a Japanese man touching parts of my body,” she wrote. “When I shined a flashlight, I saw that he had also urinated on my body, the bed and my belongings.”

The Chinese woman claimed that police didn't accept her report and instead encouraged her and the man to make a settlement. The post quickly spread online, drawing more than 30 million views as of Saturday.

Following the post, police confirmed that a report had been filed and that an investigation was underway.

According to the police, there was a report around 5 a.m. on Wednesday regarding an incident at a guesthouse in Busanjin District, Busan, where a foreign male guest allegedly urinated on a female guest’s bed and belongings. The room was a mixed-gender dormitory shared by six people.

Police said officers were dispatched immediately after receiving the report and took initial measures, including separating those involved, assessing the scene, collecting statements and securing CCTV footage. The woman had told the police she felt sexually humiliated as a result of the incident.

Police said the man will appear for questioning and has expressed willingness to take some responsibility for the incident. This information has also been conveyed to the woman.

“Authorities are currently verifying the facts based on statements and evidence, including whether the case constitutes a sexual offense,” the police said.

They added that both the guesthouse and the victim said they suffered harm at the scene, and officers provided general guidance on civil and criminal procedures and didn't recommend settling the matter.

“The police regret that the victim has experienced psychological and emotional distress,” the police added. “We will prioritize protecting the victim while continuing the investigation.”

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]]