A glimpse into Seoul's hidden camera hunters

A female official scans a toilet paper holder with an infrared detector. /Korea Times photos by Kim Se-jeong

By Kim Se-jeong

Tiny cameras built into cell phones and watches, or placed in subway station toilets or swimming pool locker rooms are growing threats to women in Korea. Some men even secretly film their sexual activities with their partners and some motel owners install hidden cameras in guest rooms.

Photographs and footage taken are not only enjoyed by the men who took them but they’re also sold on the Internet.

In August, the government vowed to take stern action to tackle the issue, promising to step up camera detection campaigns.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is already running such a campaign.

Starting in August last year, the city hired 50 “hidden camera officials,” mostly women, to patrol restrooms in public parks, subways, schools and other facilities on a regular basis.

Recently, The Korea Times followed two officials responsible for Jung-gu, a district in central Seoul, to see how they work.

Song Jae-kyung in her 60s retired from her two-decade-long hotel career. Kim who only disclosed her last name for this article is a stay-at-home mother. Both said they applied for the program because they had time and wanted to do something meaningful.

They meet every other day at the Jung-gu district office located in Euljiro 4-ga. Their work starts with getting their equipment ― radar and infrared detectors ― ready and selecting places to inspect.

Inhyeon Park, a tiny public park next to the district office, was their first stop.

Arriving at the restroom building, they put out a plastic sign at the entrance that read “we are detecting hidden cameras.”

“It’s just to let people know what we do,” Kim said.

Song with a radar detector started first, Kim followed with the infrared detector.

They moved the detectors from inside the toilet to the toilet tank, flush handle, water supply line, shutoff valve, door knob and a light on the ceiling.

“The cameras are so tiny that they can be installed anywhere,” Song said.

Song suddenly called Kim, and Kim rushed to her toilet.

“When a radar detector shows a strong sign, we get the infrared scanner to confirm,” Kim said.

They’re not professionals and didn’t know how to use it at first. They learned to use them through workshops and the field experience taught them to gauge.

When they find a suspicious spot, they call the district office and the city government which will visit the place for a special inspection with representatives from the detector manufacturer. This has only happened once so far and cameras weren’t detected.

If they find real cameras, the police are called in to start investigation.

In Korea, installing hidden cameras can be punished with up to 5 years in prison or up to 10 million won in fines ― but most perpetrators pay the fines and go home.

The next destination was Deoksu Middle School.

“Please be careful here. I didn’t tell them that a journalist is coming along today. They may not allow you to come with us,” Song said at the gate then disappeared into a room to speak with the school security guard.

She returned with a big smile on her face, and the journalist entered the school with the officials.

Visiting places like schools normally requires preliminary work. They sent a letter to Deoksu Middle School for permission. That also happens with many privately building.

“We’d love to inspect restrooms in movie theaters, restaurants, motels and hotels, but we are not allowed in unless they let us first,” Song said.

The next stop was Myeongbo Art Hall which was private property. The officials said proudly that they managed to get access. “Most of the time, they don’t allow you,” Song said.

They greeted a young woman at the lobby, who seemed to recognize them. They scanned each of the five bathrooms on the fifth floor quickly ― nothing was detected ― and headed to the last spot, Chungmuro Subway Station.

Subway stations used to be notorious for hidden cameras.

“Kim, I need you here,” Song called out Kim from one toilet stall.

Kim moved the infrared detector around a couple of minutes. “But, it’s ok with the infrared scanner,” Kim said, adding that they have to be prudent because nowadays there are so many electric signals around them, and the devices read the wrong signals.

Kim Bo-kyung, 20, who saw the officials at the Chungmuro Station thanked them.

“I was worried about the hidden cameras in the subway stations, and now they are checking them, I feel safer.”

Policewoman Park Ha-kyung said “Thanks to their efforts, at least subway toilets are safe from hidden cameras.”

The Seoul city said the goal of the campaign was not to detect cameras.

“We don’t really find them. We only help police find them,” Song echoed the city. “What we do is to let people know the hidden camera threats are real and to show people there are efforts to root them out so that people feel safer.”

The sheriffs finished their inspection with a street campaign, handing out written materials about the danger of hidden cameras.

“We always try to do some awareness campaign at Chungmuro Station because there’s a university near the station, and there are many female students,” Kim said.