By Lee Kyung-min
The government will conduct an intense crackdown on those who film or photograph women without their consent at three popular beaches over the next few weeks.
According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Tuesday, a team of ministry officials and police officers began patrolling beaches in Boryeong in South Chungcheong Province, Busan and Gangneung in Gangwon Province, Monday. The crackdown will continue until Aug. 12 to more effectively deal with the sharp increase in hidden camera crimes during summer. Almost a third of crimes involving hidden cameras occur between July and September, police said. This is part of efforts to eradicate hidden camera-related crimes amid the ministry-led campaign with a slogan "Illicit filming is a crime. You become an accomplice the moment you see the material."
The ministry said it will also raise awareness about the severe consequences of the crime. Under the law, making or distributing voyeuristic images is a crime subject to up to five years in prison or up to 10 million won ($8,870) in fines. Punishment will be harsher for those who use such photos for commercial purposes _ imprisonment up to seven years or fines up to 30 million won. Those who are convicted of such crimes will have their identities disclosed on a sex offender registry website. Pending at the National Assembly is a ministry-submitted revision to a law that seeks to impose a mandatory prison term for such offenders.
The efforts came amid a sharp rise in the number of sex crimes involving hidden cameras in recent years.?According to data from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, of all sex crimes, 517 cases involved hidden cameras in 2006, accounting for only 3.6 percent of the total, but the number increased to 7,730 or 24.9 percent in 2015. Most of the victims were unaware they were targets of "voyeurism" while they were in a state of undress, such as in washrooms, public bathhouses or changing rooms.
The fear of privacy violations by hidden cameras continues to fluster many women in Korea, culminating in over tens of thousands of them holding three street rallies demanding "equal justice for equal crime," over the past few months.
The rallies near Hyehwa Station in Seoul were triggered by what is widely known as the "Hongik University hidden camera crime," in which police detained a woman who photographed a nude male model with her cellphone during an art class and shared the content online. Police caught her less than 10 days after the incident occurred. The "rapid" apprehension followed a review of her phone and tracking her IP address. Police also searched her home and the location where she used a computer to upload the content. A district court issued an arrest warrant for her recognizing the prosecution's claim that she posed a flight risk and could destroy evidence.
Many women fiercely criticized what they deemed was a "perfect illustration of a gender-biased investigation" amid the growing number of complaints filed with police over the posting of images of women without their consent.
The ministry conducted on-site inspections recently to locate cameras installed in public bathrooms, subway cars and train stations. Upon detection of a hidden camera, officials were instructed to immediately remove the devices, followed by a police investigation. Police said women should be aware of men who frequently touch their glasses, hats, wristwatches, pens, neckties, or small screws attached to any accessories while watching them, as they could be adjusting a hidden camera.
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