A Man in His 40s Wearing a Girls' School Uniform Went to the Women's Restroom: "Cross-dressing Is a Hobby"

No Grounds for Arrest as a Felony Suspect, Released
Police "Will Verify Illegal Filming"

A man in his 40s dressed in a school uniform and cross-dressing was caught by the police after trespassing into a women's restroom at a department store.

On the 13th, the Michuhol Police Station in Incheon announced that they have booked and are investigating a man in his 40s, identified as Mr. A, without detention on charges of public place intrusion for sexual purposes under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes.

A view of the women's restroom at a subway station in Seoul. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

Mr. A is accused of trespassing into the women's restrooms on the basement 1st floor and 3rd floor of a large department store in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, around 3 p.m. on the 3rd. The department store staff found Mr. A suspicious as he was wandering near the women's restroom dressed in a school uniform and cross-dressing, and reported to 112 at around 5:20 p.m. the same day.

The police who responded to the report stated that since it was unclear whether Mr. A had actually entered the restroom, the conditions for arresting him on the spot were not met. They verified his identity and checked his mobile phone at the scene before allowing him to leave. The closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage at the scene only captured the corridor leading to the women's restroom, and it was reported that there was no footage showing Mr. A actually entering the restroom.

During the police investigation at that time, Mr. A stated, "I did not know it was a women's restroom and entered because the door was open," and "I usually cross-dress as a hobby."

A police official said, "Mr. A has since hired a lawyer and is refusing to testify," adding, "We are investigating the exact circumstances of the incident and plan to check for any illegal filming based on his mobile phone and other evidence."

Meanwhile, under Article 12 of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, anyone who trespasses into public restrooms or similar places for the purpose of satisfying sexual desire can be punished with imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million won. This applies not only to public restrooms but also to nursing facilities, changing rooms or bathhouses in large marts or department stores, and other multi-use places designated as tourist sites where unspecified many people use the facilities. In the past, there have been cases where men who stepped into women's restrooms were fined under the Sexual Crime Punishment Act.