Two people caught defecating at Gyeongbok Palace

A man and a woman were spotted defecating in broad daylight beneath a stone wall at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul on Monday, according to a report by JTBC’s “Crime Chief” (2014-) on Tuesday.

Footage obtained by JTBC of a man and woman defecating beneath a stone wall in Gyeongbok Palace, central Seoul, on Nov. 10. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A man and a woman were spotted defecating in broad daylight beneath a stone wall at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul on Monday, according to a report by JTBC’s “Crime Chief” (2014-) on Tuesday.

A witness told the broadcaster that they saw a middle-aged man crouching with toilet paper under a dense patch of foliage near the palace’s northern gate around midday on Sunday. Next to him, a woman in white pants was reportedly in the same position.

After a short while, the woman walked away, and a stain was visible on her clothing. The man was later seen emerging awkwardly from the shrubbery.

The incident occurred along the stone wall of Sinmumun, the northern gate of Gyeongbok Palace — the main royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) — which was constructed in the 15th century and is registered as a historic site.

Police officers on patrol reportedly intervened and stopped the pair, though no official complaint was filed, JTBC reported.

As the incident occurred at a designated cultural heritage site and in a public space, the pair’s actions could potentially constitute property damage or a misdemeanor offense under Korean law.

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 HYEON YE-SEUL [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]