South Korean diplomat fined for taking 'upskirt photos'

By Park Si-soo

A South Korean diplomat has been convicted of taking indecent photos of women.

Seoul Western District Court fined the lawyer-turned-diplomat, 38, identified only as Kim, 70 million won and ordered him to take a 40-hour education program on sexual crimes.

He was apprehended on Aug. 5 last year for taking photos up the skirt of a woman on a bus. Police later confirmed that he had used his smartphone to take photos up women’s skirts 16 times between April 2015 and August last year. One photo was taken in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs lobby in Seoul.

“He committed the crime even knowing illegal nature of his behavior,” said Judge Nam Hyun in a ruling statement. “The verdict was made after taking into consideration that he is deeply remorseful for his crime, has no criminal record and is committed to dealing with his problem.”