① Intrusion at a Hotel in Shanghai, China
Imagine being alone in a hotel room when suddenly, someone opens the door and walks in. This is a terrifying scenario, and it actually happened, sparking a significant controversy. A woman at a renowned hotel in Shanghai, China, was in such a situation.
While alone in her hotel room, lying on the bed, she heard a noise and checked the door. To her shock, she discovered a naked man had entered her room. Startled, she screamed upon seeing the intruder. In response, the man asked, “Why are you screaming?” and chuckled, saying, “Wasn’t the door open? I thought you wanted to have some fun.”
The woman reported the incident to the police, and the man was apprehended and detained for five days. The woman requested to view the hotel’s surveillance camera footage on the same day as the incident. In the footage, the man was seen walking through the hotel corridor wearing only underwear, trying to open various room doors. Hotel staff intervened at one point, guiding him back to his room, but he later returned to the corridor and entered the woman’s room.
The woman shared her experience on social media. She had believed that she had locked the door, but she suggested that a flaw in the locking mechanism might have caused it to remain unlocked. Her post quickly gained attention, with many Chinese netizens sharing similar experiences.
The woman decided to press charges against the hotel. In response, the hotel apologized and pledged to strengthen nighttime patrols and improve the quality of door locks. The woman clarified that her intention wasn’t to seek compensation and raise awareness about lax security.
② Unauthorized Entry by Hotel Staff in a Luxury Hotel
Similar incidents have occurred in South Korea as well. A woman in her twenties posted her story on an online community. She had been staying at a five-star hotel in Seoul when an employee entered her room without permission.
The woman was showering, and when she opened her eyes, she saw a hotel staff member standing in her room. This employee had entered the room because the woman had requested coffee and other items. However, when the woman did not respond, he entered the room to deliver the items.
The woman described the situation, saying, “I was showering, and suddenly, I heard a noise. When I looked up, I saw a male hotel employee who had opened the door to my room. The room’s layout allows you to see inside from the front door mirror as soon as you open it.”
She continued, “I saw him saying, ‘I’ll come back later’ or ‘I’ll leave,’ and he left the room. I saw everything, including him leaving the room.”
After the incident, the hotel staff received a phone call, and an employee said, “Our staff went to bring you some coffee, but it seems you were in the shower, so they left it in the valet box.”
The woman expressed her concerns to the staff that an employee had entered her room while in the shower.
A room manager later apologized, saying, “Upon checking the surveillance camera footage, it’s true that our staff entered without permission. I’m truly sorry.”
The employee explained, “Fortunately, the staff member mentioned that they didn’t see you. They didn’t go inside.”
When the woman rebutted, saying, “As soon as I opened the door, the bathroom was visible, and I undressed immediately. Our eyes met,” the manager replied, “I’m sorry. The staff member who did this is not a regular employee but a weekend temp. They pressed the bell several times, but there was no response, so they thought no one was in.”
Subsequently, after the discussion, the hotel refunded the woman for her stay and promised to contact her regarding compensation for emotional distress.
However, since the hotel didn’t reach out as promised, the woman reported the incident to the police for trespassing. She expressed her frustration, saying, “The more time passes, the more I think about it, and it’s embarrassing. Logically, wouldn’t they go back, call, or leave if they couldn’t hear the bell? Who would think to open the door and enter? I can’t comprehend their actions.”
③ Legal Implications of Hotel Room Intrusions
In cases of unauthorized entry into hotel rooms, the concept of “residential intrusion” applies, even in spaces that are not one’s primary residence. The determining factor is whether the victim felt that their peace was disturbed in that space.
Legal actions depend on whether the intruder’s actions were clearly against the victim’s consent and whether there was intent involved. Under South Korean law, for instance, unauthorized entry into a room can be punishable by imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 5 million KRW (about US$ 4,000) according to Article 319 of the Criminal Act.
In both cases mentioned, investigations and legal actions followed these unsettling hotel room intrusions, with authorities examining the intent and responses of the individuals involved.
By. Seo Seong-min (fv_editor@fastviewkorea.com)
Most Commented