S. Korea Spycam Crimes Put Hidden Camera Industry Under Scrutiny
Over the past decade, Shin has sold thousands of gadgets. But his industry is coming under pressure as ultra-wired South Korea battles a growing epidemic of so-called "molka", or spycam videos -- mostly of women, secretly filmed by men in public places.
S. Korea spycam crimes put hidden camera industry under scrutiny
Most of the protesters covered their faces with baseball caps, sunglasses and surgical masks as instructed by organizers, who intended to speak out against an environment in which women constantly worry about tiny cameras hidden in bathrooms or being filmed from under their skirts at subway stations. However, there was criticism about the organizers' tight control over the protest and the decision to block the participation of those who weren't "biologically women."
Since 2004, South Korea has required smartphones to make large shutter sounds when taking pictures and videos to prevent such crimes. However, phone cameras can be silenced through apps and there's also an abundance of miniaturized cameras that can be hidden inside bags, shoes and toilets or small holes drilled into bathroom walls and doors.
Amid rising criticism, South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday ordered government officials to explore tougher punishments for hidden-camera crimes and also ensure that the perpetrators' actions are immediately notified to employers.
He said many of the warrants issued around the country were likely used to put surveillance trackers on a vehicle. The data show drug investigations generated most of the warrants with sex crimes only accounting for a small amount. And using hidden cameras in a massage parlor case is even rarer, DeMarcus said.
In stark contrast to Jung and Choi's crimes, K-pop stars are under intense pressure from the industry to maintain squeaky-clean public personas, which includes restrictions on their dating and social life.
Elise Hu of NPR wrote: Police say the near-dozen participants in the Jung chatroom were sharing hidden camera footage of sex with drugged and unconscious women. Korean broadcaster SBS showed the leaked text exchanges, which include Jung responding to a video of one unconscious woman by texting in Korean, "You raped her, LOL." Korean wire Yonhap reports Jung is under investigation for secretly recorded and shared videos of his own sexual encounters with at least 10 women he filmed between 2015 and 2016. [Source: Elise Hu, NPR, March 15, 2019]