Denied the crime but confessed after questioning
Citizen who helped arrest rewarded with bounty
A man who was illegally filming a woman at a subway station in Seoul was eventually arrested by the police with the help of a citizen who witnessed the act.
On the 9th, a video titled "Subway Hidden Camera Perpetrator Grabbed by Citizen" was uploaded to the National Police Agency's YouTube channel. The video showed a man, identified as Mr. A, following a woman up the stairs at a Seoul subway station. Wearing a white mask, black jacket, and backpack, Mr. A followed the woman all the way to the subway exit stairs.
However, Mr. A was then grabbed by the collar by a citizen, Mr. B, and dragged back inside the station. Mr. B, who was walking up the stairs alongside Mr. A, noticed the illegal filming and apprehended him.
Mr. B tried to take Mr. A down the subway stairs to report him to the station staff. However, Mr. A resisted strongly, and a dangerous struggle ensued midway down the stairs. The station staff discovered the situation and immediately called 112, and the police quickly arrived at the scene.
Mr. A, who initially denied the crime, eventually confessed after persistent questioning by the police, admitting to having taken a few photos. However, the police suspected there were more offenses and proceeded to check Mr. A’s mobile phone. Ultimately, Mr. A showed his phone folder and confessed to the crimes. His folder contained hundreds of illegally filmed materials.
Mr. A was arrested on the spot, and the citizen who helped with the arrest was awarded a reward for reporting. Netizens responded with comments such as, "Thank you to the citizen who helped without hesitation," "We support the brave citizen who worked for justice," and "Thank you to the police officers for your hard work and for always protecting citizens safely."
Meanwhile, according to the National Police Agency, the number of illegal filming (using cameras, etc.) crimes over the past five years were ▲2019: 5,762 cases ▲2020: 5,032 cases ▲2021: 6,212 cases ▲2022: 6,865 cases ▲2023: 6,654 cases.
According to Article 14 of the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, filming a person's body that could cause sexual desire or shame without the subject's consent using a camera or similar device can result in imprisonment for up to seven years or a fine of up to 50 million won. However, actual punishments often result in suspended sentences or fines, leading to criticism that the penalties are too lenient.
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