South Korean Court Fines Man $2,200 for Trespassing to Relieve Himself
A South Korean court fined a man 3 million won for trespassing to relieve himself in a stranger's yard, rejecting his medical emergency defense due to his extensive criminal record.
A district court in Cheongju, South Korea, has imposed a heavy fine of 3 million won (approximately $2,200) on a man in his 50s who trespassed into a stranger's private yard to relieve himself. According to a report in the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo, the defendant claimed in his defense that he suffered from sudden, uncontrollable abdominal pain.
The incident occurred on December 31 at approximately 3:50 PM. According to local news outlet mk.co.kr, the man was driving to a family gathering when he was seized by an urgent physical need. He pulled his car over to the side of the road, entered a private residential property in North Chungcheong Province, crossed the yard, and relieved himself near the home's boiler room.
The property owner later discovered the waste, which was partially covered with toilet paper. After reviewing security camera footage, the owner contacted the police, who quickly tracked down the driver using his vehicle information.
Criminal Record Decides the Case
During the trial, Judge Park rejected the defendant's claims of a medical emergency, primarily due to his extensive criminal history presented in court. The defendant had been released from prison in October 2025 after serving a seven-year sentence for robbery resulting in bodily harm.
Furthermore, shortly after his release, he violated a rehabilitation order prohibiting alcohol consumption, resulting in an additional ten-month prison sentence which he began serving in April 2026. Along with the prison term he is currently serving, the defendant must now pay the heavy financial penalty for the trespassing conviction.
