The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Flasher booked for public indecency after being chased by children

Also known as 'Burberry men,' flasher in his 20s reportedly committed similar offenses multiple times

By Choi Jae-hee

Published : June 5, 2023 - 13:41

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(gettyimagesbank) (gettyimagesbank)

Police booked a male college student in his 20s who exposed his genitals to elementary school children who then chased him last week in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, according to news reports on Monday.

In video footage taken on May 31 and shown on the cable news channel YTN, the flasher -- wearing a mask, black t-shirt and grey sweatpants -- ran away as soon as he pulled his pants down in front of four elementary school students to display his genitals.

A screenshot of video footage from YTN showing a college student in his 20s who was caught by the police after exposing his genitals to elementary school students on May 31 in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province (YTN) A screenshot of video footage from YTN showing a college student in his 20s who was caught by the police after exposing his genitals to elementary school students on May 31 in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province (YTN)

The children immediately chased the man while reporting the incident to a nearby police station. They informed police officials about the man and which direction he headed to.

Shortly after the police report was made, the authorities caught him at a location approximately 300 meters away from the crime scene.

The police booked him for public lewdness and are currently looking into the case. The man has reportedly committed similar offenses multiple times in nearby areas.

“We ran as fast as we could to catch him. We thought that the situation could worsen if not handled calmly, so we reported to the police right away. We were grateful for police officers’ swift response and assistance,” one of the students said in an interview with YTN.

In Korea and some other countries, flashers are colloquially called “Burberry men." The term refers to classic trench coats in the style of the luxury brand, which flashers wear with nothing underneath, as the coat's design makes it easier for them to briefly expose themselves to unsuspecting victims.

Under the current law, an offender convicted of the crime of public lewdness can face a prison sentence of up to one year or a fine of up to 5 million won ($3,800).