[CCTV Surveillance Society]①Captured 100 Times on the Commute... Between Safety and Privacy

Public CCTV '1.6 Million Units' Era
No Accurate Count of Private Installations
Frequent Disputes... Rising Concerns Over Misuse

Editor's NoteSouth Korea is a CCTV republic. On average, office workers are captured by cameras about 100 times a day without even realizing it. While the majority of the public agrees on the necessity of CCTV, concerns about privacy invasion and illegal filming remain high. Recently, cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and facial recognition have been compared to the 'Big Brother' in George Orwell's novel 1984. Although advanced countries have implemented legal measures to protect individual freedoms, South Korea has yet to engage in social discussions on this issue. Asia Economy diagnoses the current status, problems, and solutions regarding CCTV in two parts.

Mr. A, who lives in an apartment in Seoul, was surprised to see a CCTV installed by his next-door neighbor. The camera angle was directed towards his home and the elevator. Mr. A complained, "Since I cannot view the footage myself, I don't know how much is being recorded," adding, "It feels like I'm being watched, which makes me uneasy. I'm not sure if it's okay to ask my neighbor to move the CCTV location."

Recently, the installation of CCTV has surged in both public and private sectors. While CCTV is regarded as an effective tool for crime prevention and enforcement, concerns about infringement on individual fundamental rights continue to be raised. Ultimately, there are calls for urgent legal and institutional improvements in CCTV operation.

A CCTV is installed on the ceiling at a location in Seoul.
Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Increasing Number of CCTVs, Majority for Crime Prevention

According to the 'Public Institution CCTV Installation and Operation Status' report by the Personal Information Protection Commission on the 18th, there were 1,336,654 CCTVs in operation nationwide in 2020, 1,458,456 in 2021, and 1,607,388 in 2022. As of 2022, the purposes of installation were recorded as crime prevention with 816,333 units (50.8%), facility safety and fire prevention with 698,987 units (43.5%), traffic enforcement with 59,648 units (3.7%), and traffic information collection and analysis with 32,420 units (2%).

By region, the numbers were as follows: Gyeonggi 238,549 units, Seoul 161,267 units, Gyeongnam 54,468 units, Gyeongbuk 53,234 units, Chungnam 45,569 units, Incheon 44,018 units, Jeonnam 41,353 units, Busan 39,805 units, Gangwon 35,747 units, Jeonbuk 31,064 units, Chungbuk 29,036 units, Daegu 25,598 units, Jeju 20,779 units, Gwangju 17,389 units, Daejeon 14,972 units, Ulsan 14,453 units, and Sejong 3,202 units.

A 2021 survey on CCTV status by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Korea Internet & Security Agency found that office workers in their 30s and 40s are exposed to CCTV about 98 times a day on average. When including unofficial private CCTVs and car black boxes, it is no exaggeration to say that people are recorded by cameras almost anytime and anywhere.

The majority of the public positively evaluates CCTV as a means to protect public safety, but concerns about the management of recorded materials coexist. According to a 'CCTV Installation and Operation Awareness Survey' conducted by Embrain Trend Monitor in December last year targeting 1,000 adults aged 19 to 69 nationwide, 92.3% of respondents said CCTV installation has become very commonplace, and 84.5% felt that there are hardly any facilities without CCTV installed.

Even when aware of being recorded by CCTV, 72.5% of respondents said their behavior does not change significantly. However, trust was not high, with 65.3% expressing concern about unauthorized people viewing CCTV footage, 55.3% worried about unnecessary long-term storage of information collected through CCTV, and only 49.1% believing that information collected via CCTV would be safely and properly managed.

Positive Effects of CCTV, Concerns over Private Sector Management

The crime prevention effect of CCTV has already been proven through various studies. According to a 2019 paper published by the Police University’s Institute of Security Policy, in Seoul’s Gwanak District, an increase of one CCTV camera corresponded to a decrease of 1.23 theft crimes. Previous research comparing Nonhyeon 1-dong in Gangnam District with other areas showed that in CCTV-installed areas, robbery decreased by 65%, theft and assault by 36%, and surrounding areas also experienced reductions of 38% in robbery, 24% in theft, and 5% in assault, demonstrating a spillover effect.

Under the Personal Information Protection Act, CCTV installation and operation in public places are permitted for purposes such as crime prevention and investigation, facility safety and management, and fire prevention. However, signboards indicating the installation purpose, location, filming range, and time must be installed so that subjects can easily recognize the CCTV. Additionally, necessary measures must be taken to ensure safety so that sensitive information is not lost, stolen, leaked, forged, altered, or damaged. While public sector CCTV is managed according to the law, there is practically no way to verify private sector CCTV individually.

In reality, disputes over CCTV are increasing between management offices and neighbors in apartment complexes. While simply installing CCTV cannot be criticized, the key issue is what and how much is captured in the footage. In 2022, Mr. B filed a mediation request with the Personal Information Dispute Mediation Committee, claiming that the apartment management office’s installation of CCTV near his front door excessively infringed on his privacy and demanded its removal. The committee ordered the relocation of the CCTV to minimize potential rights violations.

Professor Kim Do-woo of the Department of Police Science at Gyeongnam University stated, “Public institution CCTVs are installed, operated, recorded, and accessed in accordance with the law. However, private sector CCTVs are a blind spot. They are installed based on individual needs and operated relatively freely,” adding, “When disputes arise in the private sector, approaches tend to be vague and concrete alternatives are often not presented. Legislative and guideline improvements regarding violations of the Personal Information Protection Act are necessary.”