In a shocking incident at a jjimjilbang (sauna) in Seoul, a man was apprehended by a vigilant victim for illegally filming inside of a women's bathroom, leading to his arrest by the police.

The suspect, currently under arrest and investigation, faces charges under the act on special cases concerning sexual violence crimes, specifically related to unauthorized filming using cameras.

The incident occurred approximately a week ago, on February 19th, when a woman, identified as a YouTuber, noticed someone attempting to record or photograph using a mobile device through a ventilation shaft on the ceiling.

Reacting to this violation of privacy, the victim, initially assuming the culprit was female, confronted them outside the bathroom with a request to delete the footage and apologize.

However, to her surprise, the individual exiting the female partition was a man.

Incensed by the intrusion, the victim confronted the perpetrator, gripping his collar and demanding an explanation for his presence in the women's restroom.

Recalling the encounter in an interview with Yonhap News, the victim expressed her initial attempt to handle the situation calmly, considering the presence of other individuals in the vicinity.

However, faced with the suspect's vehement denial of wrongdoing, she raised her voice in response.

"I initially presumed the individual was a minor. Holding onto his collar to prevent escape, I requested assistance from someone nearby who was not asleep to contact emergency services," the woman stated.

"With one hand occupied holding his collar and the other clutching his cell phone, I was unable to use both hands freely."

Another woman in the lounge, witnessing the altercation, promptly alerted the authorities for assistance.

The suspect eventually admitted to the offense after his phone was confiscated by the police, despite initially denying any illicit filming upon apprehension.

Following a request from the police, an arrest warrant was issued by the court on February 21st.

Investigations are ongoing to determine if there are additional victims and to gather further details regarding the incident.

Despite the disturbing nature of the incident, the victim expressed shock at the lackluster response from bystanders.

Upon calling out for help and rousing individuals from sleep, the majority, regardless of gender, appeared indifferent, as if detached from the situation.

Sexual crimes, especially related to hidden cameras, are one of the issues that society should highlight and focus on.

As technology has developed immeasurably, many criminals are actively utilising various instruments, not just phones, to record unpermitted content .

More than 30,000 cases of filming with hidden cameras were reported to police in South Korea between 2013 and 2018, according to media reports.

According to a statistic by ‘Statista’, the number of spycam related crimes in South Korea is steadily increasing since 2020, rising from 4881 crimes.

Additionally, according to a report released by Human Rights Watch (HRW) in June 2021, it continues to be challenging for women and girls affected by digital sex crimes to attain justice, an issue that Choi also encounters. HRW states that in 2019, prosecutors dismissed 43.5% of cases involving sexual digital crimes.

Regardless of the location, from public transportation to buildings and service establishments like saunas, many people are exposed as potential victims.

It is essential for communities and institutions to address the problem of hidden cameras and illicit recording of photos and videos of others.

Chaewon Han
Year 12
North London Collegiate School Jeju