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Illustration depicting spread of Illustration depicting spread of illegal photography. (Hankyoreh archives)hy. (Hankyoreh archives)

Around seven out of 10 Seoul residents reported feeling anxiety over the possibility of being illegally photographed in their daily lives, survey results show.

In particular, women and men respectively expressed concerns about being illegally filmed while using public bathrooms and hotels or motels.

According to survey findings on “citizen perceptions of illegal photography” published on June 17 by the city of Seoul and the Namu Women’s Rights Counseling Center, 69% of respondents answered in the affirmative when asked if they had “ever felt anxious in daily life over illegal photography.” Feelings of anxiety were reported by 80% of female respondents and 57% of male respondents. The survey residents confirmed that women are more concerned than men about the possibility of being illegally filmed.

The settings most commonly named as sources of concerns over illegal photography were hotels/motels (43%), followed by public restrooms (36%), swimming pools and public baths (9%), and the subway (7.6%). Responses differed along gender lines: while male respondents most frequently expressed concerns about hotels and motels (65%), women most commonly named public restrooms (52%) as a source of anxiety.

When asked how they behaved in places where they suspected they might be illegally filmed, 61% of respondents said they “checked to see if holes were drilled when using restrooms.” Another 57% said they “look around for cameras before using [restrooms],” while 44% said they “try not to use outside restrooms as much as possible.” Eight percent of respondents said they “travel around with simple tools to check [for the presence of illegal cameras].”

As reasons for the rise in reports of crimes involving illegal filming, 67% of respondents cited “inadequate punishments of those engaged in illegal filming” and 62% pointed to “a lack of awareness that illegal filming is a crime.” As measures to eradicate illegal photography, 71% of respondents advocated “stiffer punishments of those responsible,” while 63% called for a “stronger legal institutions to combat illegal photography.”

The survey by the city of Seoul and the Namu Women’s Rights Counseling Center was conducted online over a one-week period from May 23 to 29 with 1,500 Seoul residents aged 19 to 59. The results had a margin of error of ±2.5 percentage points with a 95% confidence level.

By Chai Yoon-tae, staff reporter

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