Artwork from The Star/Asia News Network
PHNOM PENH (Khmer Times): A Korean national was detained by authorities after he was observed urinating in Cambodia’s iconic Angkor Wat complex, the country's most visited area by tourists.
The Siem Reap Province Tourism Department stated that Korean national Hwang Bogdong, 61 years old, a Korean interpreter in Siem Reap Province, committed an inappropriate act by urinating on February 13, 2025, in a public place within the Angkor Wat temple complex, which is a cultural and world heritage site, and a video of the act was recently posted on social media.
On the morning of Saturday (February 22, 2025), the leaders of the Siem Reap Province Tourism Department, in cooperation with the Siem Reap Province Tourism Police, summoned the person to come and explain.
The Korean man admitted that he had indeed committed an inappropriate act by urinating as shown in the video posted on social media.
He stated as a defence that the reason for this is that he has a chronic kidney disease.
Hwang Bogdong expressed his regret and public apology to the leaders of the Royal Government at all levels and the Cambodian people throughout the country for this mistake and promised that he would not continue to work as a tourist guide at the Angkor resort area until he recovered from his illness.
He was then voluntarily handed over his interpreter’s license to the Provincial Department of Tourism for safekeeping. - Khmer Times
