A woman from Hebei, China has reported that in the early hours of Wednesday (15th), she was sexually harassed by a Japanese man who exposed himself in a youth hostel in Busan, South Korea, but the Korean police let the man go free. The Chinese Consulate-General in Busan confirmed on the 17th that it has intervened in the case.
According to Oriental Daily News, the victim, Ms. Zhang, traveled to Korea on the 8th of this month and arrived in Busan on the 11th, subsequently checking into a youth hostel. She recalled that at around 5 a.m. on Wednesday, she was awakened in her room by noise. When she looked up, she saw a man exposing his genitals towards her head. She used her phone’s flashlight to shine on him, but the man urinated on her, contaminating the bed and her luggage.
Ms. Zhang immediately called the police. Although the man admitted to his actions, the police did not conduct a sobriety test, collect physical evidence, take a statement, or restrain the man in any way. There was not even a written case receipt—he was only advised to settle the matter privately.
Ms. Zhang added that the hostel’s rooms are mixed gender, and the man, who was Japanese, had checked into the same room as her between the 13th and 14th. Before the incident, he had accosted her several times and made strange remarks.
A staff member at the Chinese Consulate-General in Busan said that they have received many calls about the incident and that a consul is handling the matter. Ms. Zhang learned from Korean police that the Japanese man involved has already returned to Japan, so no measures can be taken unless he reenters Korea, at which point he may be arrested.