"My Safety, My Responsibility"... Surge in Inquiries About Installing CCTV at Front Doors and Throughout Offices

Preventing Parcel Theft and Personal Information Exposure
Conflicts with Neighbors Ranging from 30,000 to 1,000,000 Won

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Sehee] Kim Myunghee (41, pseudonym) recently had her home address exposed to a scammer on Bungaejangter and decided to install a CCTV in the apartment hallway just in case. Seo Haneul (33, pseudonym) is also considering installing a CCTV to prevent package theft. He said, "There are many instances where packages left in front of the door are touched, so I plan to install a CCTV." Kim Mihui (24, pseudonym), who lives in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, recently installed a CCTV after her ex-boyfriend kept showing up unexpectedly in front of her house.

Recently, more people are personally installing CCTVs to prevent package theft and personal information exposure. A sales company official said, "Recently, inquiries about CCTV installation have been increasing from people running online shopping malls and women experiencing stalking," adding, "We mainly sell Taiwanese products, and prices range from the mid-200,000 KRW to over 1,000,000 KRW." CCTV prices vary widely from 30,000 KRW to over 1,000,000 KRW. One company charges a monthly fee of 18,700 KRW per CCTV for three years, after which ownership of the equipment is transferred to the customer.

According to Article 25 of the Personal Information Protection Act (Restrictions on Installation and Operation of Video Information Processing Devices), CCTV installation is allowed when necessary for crime prevention and investigation or for facility safety and fire prevention. However, violating this can result in a fine of up to 30 million KRW. Additionally, it is required to provide notice that CCTV is installed so that data subjects can easily recognize it. The Personal Information Dispute Mediation Committee recommends adjusting the shooting angle or installing screens to prevent filming others' private spaces, but conflicts over privacy invasion caused by CCTV installation are occurring everywhere. There have been cases where CCTVs were removed after complaints from neighbors. A CCTV company official said, "Recently, a resident living on the first floor of an apartment installed a CCTV, but it was removed after a passerby complained about being filmed," and added, "We recommend installing after consulting with the management office."