You’ve come home from a long day at work, and it’s finally time to relax in solitude. All you have to do is lock the door and make sure there’s not a hidden camera in your bookshelf. Or the clock, or the lotion, or your showerhead, toilet, or stuffed animals. Did you check the computer mouse? How about that picture of your family, did you check the frame? Okay. Now you can relax—or try to, at least.
It sounds Orwellian, but this is the reality of many people across South Korea. The East Asian nation has seen a rise in sex crimes using molka: the Korean word for “spy camera”. In 2009 the country banned pornographic websites and molka crimes have seen a steady rise since. In 2010, 1,100 molka crimes were reported but by 2018 the number of reports jumped to nearly 6,800 instances. The public is focused on the topic, dominating Twitter and eliciting a response from President Moon Jae-in.
In a recent video, BBC reporter Stacey Dooley follows up on her heartbreaking article from March and gets some hands-on experience with one of South Korea’s leading spycam hunters: Son Hae-Yun.
I spy…
Throughout the video, the intensity and sophistication of law enforcement’s approach are evident. High-tech equipment out of a spy thriller is unpacked from attaché cases and infrared cameras sweep the room. Dooley is nearly speechless throughout the segment while Hae-Yun remained unphased, a sobering reminder of how ubiquitous—and grave—the issue is.
After watching the team at work, Hae-Yun challenges Dooley: find the 30-something hidden cameras he has planted in one of South Korea’s love motels. The love motels are a common spot for couples to spend some time together, and, thus, are molka hot spots.
After a strong effort, Dooley admits defeat and Hae-Yun reveals the remaining cameras, many of them hidden in objects that the reporter checked earlier. With all manner of voyeuristic portals sprawled out in front of her, Dooley empathizes with the plight of many South Koreans, one of immense paranoia. She continued on to ruminate on all the hotels, places she had assumed were private, and how she felt about the possibility of molkas broadcasting video of her to who-knows-where.
Looking Forward
The issue is not all gloom and doom, thankfully. In 2017, South Korea passed a “Comprehensive Policies on the Prevention of Sex Crimes and Victimization” legislation that focused on stricter investigations and punishments while creating support groups for survivors and education on sex crimes. Despite this positive step, the issue remains a pressing concern and demands more effective policy-making and harsher punishments for offenders.
That was a lot of heavy stuff there. I’m feeling like I need to take a break from the news for a little while. If you’re feeling the same, check out this mood-lifting celebration from the 2018 World Cup! A South Korean win over Germany sent Mexico to the knock out stage, and Mexican celebrated with the South Korean Ambassador by serving him tequila. Truly, a happier time.
