"Me Too" Eyewitness Accounts Prompt Subway Fear: Man Arrested for Commuter Harassment

A man in his 50s accused of repeatedly groping female passengers on Seoul Subway Line 2 has been arrested following a police stakeout.

The Subway Police Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency arrested a man in his 50s, identified as A, on charges of committing indecent acts in crowded places at Gangnam Station on Line 2 at around 10 p.m. the day before yesterday (September 2).

A is suspected of making inappropriate physical contact with female passengers multiple times recently inside Line 2 subway cars.

Police launched a search after eyewitness accounts of a middle-aged man's offenses on Line 2 were posted consecutively on social media.

Previously, posts surfaced on social media warning people to "be careful of the short-haired, bald middle-aged man on Line 2," accompanied by photos.

The photos showed a man wearing a backpack standing closely behind a female passenger inside a subway car while looking at his mobile phone.

As the posts spread rapidly, additional reports followed from people claiming to have suffered similar harm or to have seen the same man.

One netizen complained of victimization, saying, "It seems like he commits crimes habitually. I was targeted while commuting home on Line 2, and it was exactly the same. I've been taking the bus ever since."

There was also a report from August 29 stating that a man with a similar appearance was spotted inside a train heading from Gangnam Station toward Sadang Station.

Police conducted a stakeout at subway stations and inside trains to locate the man pointed out on social media, identified A as a suspect based on his physical description and attire, and apprehended him at Gangnam Station.

Police plan to investigate A regarding the exact number of offenses and the circumstances before reviewing whether to apply for an arrest warrant.

Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Seo Byeong-wook | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.