Subway becomes hotbed of crime

By Park Si-soo

Any public place crowded with people tends to be a magnet for crime. Yet, a series of crimes committed in subway carriages over the past weeks have caused public uproar, making an increasing number of women think twice before riding a subway during rush hours and late night.

Career woman Kim Hyun-sook in Seoul used to commute by subway but she recently decided to stop using it on her way back home, at least, until the end of the month, a season for year-end dinner parties.

Her departure from the public transport resulted from a video clip that caused a huge stir on the Internet early this month ㅡ the 74-second clip shows a man groping the thighs of a drunken woman sitting next to him in a subway carriage.

The man, who later turned out to be an unemployed 46-year-old, surrendered himself to police one day after the clip made headlines.

“The news came as a horrible shock to me because I used to fall asleep on my way back home late at night on the subway,” Kim said. “I’ve never been a target of such a nasty crime but any woman can fall a victim.”

Kim said the worst time to ride the subway was not only late at night but also during morning rush hours.

Many women have had the unpleasant experience of having their buttocks touched by unidentified passengers when they were squeezed in a crowded subway carriage during peak times. Also, it’s easy to find up-skirt video clips on file-sharing websites.

“The subway system is no longer a safe place for women. It’s full of hazards,” said Lee Mi-sun, another career woman.

According to police statistics, nearly 800 sex-based crimes against female subway passengers were reported during the first eight months of the year, accounting for 47.1 percent of the entire crimes on subway trains in Seoul, a moderate increase from the previous year. Subway line No. 2, which circulates the capital, was confirmed to be the most sex crime-prone line out of nine local lines, according to crime statistics released by Lee Sang-muk, a Seoul City Council member.

Males are not always risk-free, either.

Pickpockets work regardless of gender. Last Monday, a mentally-challenged 43-year-old man suddenly took off his shirt and threatened dozens of passengers in a crowded carriage with a 5-centimeter-long knife at around 7 p.m.

The train made an emergency stop at Seoul National University of Education Station where male passengers and police officers got him under control after a physical scuffle in about 10 minutes. Nobody was injured in the incident.

Police said violence in subway carriages was the second most frequent crime during the first eight months of the year, accounting for 32 percent of the entire subway crimes or 541 cases. Pickpocket and other types of theft came third with 351 cases, police said.

Experts urge subway services operators and police to tighten carriage security by increasing the number of security guards and strengthening surveillance systems in the subway.

지하철 “지하철이 위험하다”

사람이 많은 곳에서는 늘 범죄가 있기 마련이다. 하지만 최근 몇 주 동안 발생한 지하철 내 사건들로 인해 많은 여성들에 붐비는 출퇴근 시간이나 늦은 밤시간에 전철 타기를 꺼려하고 있다.

직장여성인 김현숙씨는 송년회가 많은 12월 한달 간은 밤늦게 퇴근할 때에는 전철을 이용하지 않기로 결정했다. “전철 마니아”인 그녀가 이런 결정을 하게 된 배경에는 이달 초 전국을 떠들썩하게 만들었던 지하철 성추행 동영상 때문이다.

이달 초 한 포털사이트를 통해 퍼지기 시작한 문제의 동영상에는 늦은 밤 술에 취한 여성의 허벅지를 만지는 남성이 모습이 찍혀있었고 이는 바로 언론에 보도되었다.

김씨는 그 동영상을 보고 더 이상 술 취한상태에서 지하철을 탈 수 없었다고 말했다.