Tourist from China slammed after allegedly letting child defecate in public at South Korean national park

Resident catches child of tourist from China defecating near trail of South Korean national park

A tourist from China was caught letting her child defecate in Hallasan National Park on Jeju Island, South Korea, resulting in criticism online.

On 14 Oct, a South Korean resident filed a complaint on the Hallasan National Park website’s bulletin board.

Referring to the incident that occurred on 30 Sept, the original poster (OP), Kim Hyun-jung, claimed that a child, presumed to be Chinese, defecated near the trail along the Seongpanak Course.

Witness catches child defecating in public while visiting park

The OP described their experience of hiking the popular trail after a two-year absence, noting the significant increase in foreign visitors.

They expressed particular frustration with the Chinese tourists, stating that they were allegedly “shouting, running around, and littering”.

But what shocked the OP most was stumbling upon a woman with a child — believed to be around six or seven years old — who was defecating directly into a flowerbed next to the walking path.

“She had completely stripped the child’s lower body and was having the child relieve themselves,” they wrote. “I looked and saw faeces in the flowerbed.”

The OP said the child simply wiped themselves before the pair walked off, leaving the mess behind.

They criticised their behaviour, saying: “How could someone defecate in an azalea field at a national park, a heritage site we must protect and preserve?”

Resident calls for stricter rules & penalties for misbehaving tourists

The post went on to propose stricter measures, calling for Chinese visitors to be informed about potential penalties for causing public nuisances.

The OP also suggested that tourists be required to sign a pledge committing to adhere to the country’s guidelines.

In response, the Hallasan National Park Management Office issued a statement, confirming that they would take action by installing Chinese-language signboards explaining safety rules and regulations across the trails.

Additionally, they vowed to intensify patrols to immediately educate or take legal action against violators caught engaging in such behaviour.

Also read: 2 tourists defecate on South Korean palace walls, stains allegedly left on woman’s clothing as she walks away

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Featured image adapted from Hallasan.