![Broadcaster Seo Dong-joo [Newsis]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/06/news-p.v1.20260606.d755986fe3a94e03aed8975a949cf31b_P1.jpg)
Broadcaster and attorney Seo Dong-joo said she had been a victim of stalking and home invasion by the same man accused of breaking into actor Kim Gyu-ri's home and committing robbery.
The man in his 40s, who faces charges of breaking into Kim's home and carrying out a robbery, was already on trial for stalking and trespassing against Seo at the time of the alleged offense, according to Newsis.
Police urged the public to be vigilant, saying attempts to break into homes by impersonating water and city gas meter readers have continued to occur.
Seo posted on her social media Saturday saying she had received a flood of messages since Friday after news articles about the case began circulating.
"The articles don't mean that I was the robber who harmed Kim Gyu-ri," she said. "They mean that the stalker who broke into my home in January this year turned out to be the same person who broke into Kim Gyu-ri's home. I hope there is no misunderstanding."
Seo said the man had gained entry to her home early this year by posing as a city gas meter reader, entering while she was alone after her husband had left for work.
At the time, she had believed he was a legitimate meter reader. "I felt an anxiety that was hard to explain," she said. "I had never come face to face with a criminal at such close range — let alone inside my own home — so I didn't even know what that feeling was."
She said she quickly called her husband and put the call on speakerphone, making sure the man knew she was on the phone.
"I kept my distance and watched what he was doing, and he was walking around the house taking detailed photos of the water pipes and the interior," Seo added.
She said her dogs rushed toward the stranger when he entered, wagging their tails and wanting to be petted. "But the man seemed flustered, and he ultimately left the house," she said.
Seo then contacted Korea City Gas to verify the visit and was told no male meter reader had been dispatched to her area. "Only then did I feel certain something was wrong, and I immediately reported it to the police," she said.
She said she later learned the man had told investigators he was a fan of hers and had wanted to meet her at the start of the year to draw energy from her. "He had apparently even tried to contact me and come find me last year as well," she added.
Seo said the detective handling her case had advised her not to disclose the incident publicly out of concern it could inspire copycat crimes, which was why she had stayed silent until now.
"It seems my name came up in connection with the indictment in Kim Gyu-ri's case, which is how the articles appeared," she said. "Friday was a day of real shock for me, and seeing the headline gave me another jolt."
Seo also urged the public to be wary of criminals posing as meter readers. "If you feel even the slightest unease — that gut feeling that something is off — never open the door or let anyone inside when you are home alone," she said. "The fear I felt then is still vivid when I think about it now."
Police echoed the warning, urging caution against home intrusion attempts by people impersonating meter readers. A similar incident occurred in Sejong late last year, when someone posing as a water meter reader attempted to break into a residence, prompting a police investigation.
mss@heraldcorp.com
