The Epidemic of Hidden Cameras in Public Toilets in Korea

The issue of hidden cameras in public toilets in Korea has become a major concern for women, who are calling for harsher punishments for perpetrators and greater measures to prevent such crimes. According to reports, many men have been let off without being charged in cases where there was no physical violence, perpetuating a boys' club culture within the police force.

The problem of hidden cameras is not limited to public toilets alone. Women are also the subjects of so-called revenge porn, where private photos are shared on the internet by jilted lovers, and 'upskirting,' where perpetrators use smartphones to photograph women's crotches while in public places. These forms of harassment have become a 21st-century reality for many Korean women.

In recent months, thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Seoul, demanding greater action from the government to protect their safety and dignity. The government has responded by announcing a crackdown on hidden cameras, increasing the number of municipal employees assigned to search public bathrooms for hidden cameras to 8,000 in October from the current 50.

Under the new measures, more than 20,000 public restrooms will be inspected regularly, including those in subways, parks, community centers, public gyms and underground commercial arcades. The city has also promised to inspect every one of its 20,554 public restrooms daily, a massive undertaking that underscores the scope of the problem.

The issue of hidden cameras is not new in Korea, with more than 30,000 cases of surreptitious filming reported nationally since 2013. However, it was only recently that the government acknowledged the scale of the problem and took concrete steps to address it.

For many Korean women, the issue of hidden cameras has become a matter of daily life, as they are forced to take measures to avoid using public toilets alone, especially at night. Choi Yoon-jeong, 34, who was interviewed by reporters, said that she had never felt safe about going to public bathrooms ever since she was a college student.

The government's previous attempts to locate hidden cameras have been lackluster, with inspectors only checking toilets once a month and failing to discover a single recording device in the past two years. It remains to be seen whether the new measures will be effective in addressing the problem.

As one woman put it, 'I don't think the new measures will be effective because finding and getting rid of the hidden cameras in the public restrooms will not solve the problem.' The issue of hidden cameras is a symptom of a larger problem of gender-based violence and harassment that requires a comprehensive approach to address.

In conclusion, the epidemic of hidden cameras in public toilets in Korea highlights the urgent need for greater action from the government to protect women's safety and dignity. While the new measures announced by the government are a step in the right direction, more needs to be done to address this pervasive problem.

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