--- description: South Korean authorities in Seoul say they will ramp up efforts to stamp out the epidemic of hidden "spy-cams" used to secretly film women title: Seoul Is Ramping Up Efforts To Tackle 'Spy-Cam Porn' Crisis image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltafbe7a26542b8bf1/6989394f929fad8231bf17cc/gettyimages-1010684262.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [South Korea](/tag/south-korea/) ## South Korea Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Seoul’s Public Restrooms Will Be Checked Daily to Combat South Korea’s ‘Spy-Cam Porn’ Crisis by [Eli Meixler](/author/eli/) ## Eli Meixler Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 3, 2018 6:21 AM CUT  Female protesters shout slogans during a rally against 'spy-cam porn' in Seoul, South Korea on Aug. 4, 2018. Female protesters shout slogans during a rally against 'spy-cam porn' in Seoul, South Korea on Aug. 4, 2018.Ed Jones—AFP/Getty Images by [Eli Meixler](/author/eli/) ## Eli Meixler Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 3, 2018 6:21 AM CUT South Korean authorities said they are stepping up efforts to tackle a growing public crisis — the profusion of [hidden “spy-cams”](http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2018/09/02/0200000000AEN20180902002300315.html "undefined") used to illicitly record women without their consent. The Seoul city government announced plans Sunday to root out hidden cameras by ramping up police staffing and ensuring daily inspections of public restrooms, South Korea’s _Yonhap_ news agency reports. The announcement comes amid rising public outrage over the “spy-cam porn” epidemic: last month, an estimated [70,000 protesters](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2018/08/281%5F253388.html "undefined") marched in Seoul to demand the authorities do more to protect women against sexual exploitation, and carried signs that read “my life is not your porn.” More than [26,000 cases](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/03/seoul-to-check-public-toilets-daily-to-tackle-spy-cam-porn-crisis "undefined") of hidden camera crimes were reported between 2012 and 2016, the _Guardian_ reports, the vast majority of them committed by men. South Korean women describe a constant threat of being unknowingly recorded in public places, with tiny cameras adapted onto items like car keys, pens, eyeglasses, and even [shoes](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia%5Fpacific/at-south-korean-beaches-and-swimming-pools-a-war-against-tiny-spy-cameras/2018/07/30/8804c3b4-9071-11e8-9b0d-749fb254bc3d%5Fstory.html?noredirect=on "undefined"). Secret cameras have been discovered in changing rooms, gyms and clothing stores as well as in offices and on public transit. **Read more:** [_Revenge Porn: How Women Are Fighting Against Revenge Photos_](http://time.com/4811561/revenge-porn/ "undefined") In June, South Korean President Moon Jae-in called for more [comprehensive action](http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2018/07/03/0200000000AEN20180703010100315.html "undefined") to tackle spy-cam crimes, calling for “stern” punishments for perpetrators and “special protection for victims,” _Yonhap_ reported. Currently, perpetrators can [face fines](http://www.law.go.kr/lsInfoP.do?lsiSeq=199502&efYd=20171212#0000 "undefined") of up to 10 million won (U.S. $9,000) or five years in prison if caught. The new initiative will boost inspection staff for the city’s 20,544 public toilets to some 8,000 people. Currently, just 50 workers are engaged in the toilet-checks, meaning each restroom is inspected at most once per month; none have discovered hidden cameras so far, the government said. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5385274/south-korea-spy-cam-porn-seoul/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5385274/south-korea-spy-cam-porn-seoul/"},"headline":"Seoul’s Public Restrooms Will Be Checked Daily to Combat South Korea’s ‘Spy-Cam Porn’ Crisis","datePublished":"2018-09-03T06:21:34.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T21:19:21.468Z","description":"There is growing public outrage over the use of hidden cameras to secretly film women","url":"https://time.com/5385274/south-korea-spy-cam-porn-seoul/","keywords":["South Korea","onetime","overnight"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltafbe7a26542b8bf1/6989394f929fad8231bf17cc/gettyimages-1010684262.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eli Meixler","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eli/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltafbe7a26542b8bf1/6989394f929fad8231bf17cc/gettyimages-1010684262.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"SKOREA-CRIME-GENDER","caption":"SKOREA-CRIME-GENDER","creditText":"Ed Jones—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/south-korea/","name":"South Korea"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5385274/south-korea-spy-cam-porn-seoul/","name":"Seoul’s Public Restrooms Will Be Checked Daily to Combat South Korea’s ‘Spy-Cam Porn’ Crisis"}}]}] ```