Korean High School Student Arrested After Repeated Shocking “Molka” Crimes

Last year in Daejeon, a high school student was apprehended for secretly recording in a women’s restroom. Despite being investigated without detention, he reoffended, leading to his eventual arrest. The police suspect there are over a hundred victims, according to MBC.

In September of last year, a woman using a disabled individuals’ restroom in a downtown Daejeon commercial building noticed a small, black object under the sink. It turned out to be a miniature camera recording clips of those who used the restroom.

I tried to use the regular stall, but it had a ‘broken’ sign. I assumed it was just clogged and used the stall for the disabled instead.

— One of the victims

The police identified the culprit as a male high school student. Over a span of three months, he secretly filmed more than a hundred women by hiding in the women’s restroom and using his phone to record them. Adding more shock to the situation, the area where the incidents occurred is known to be a lively spot where many families and children gather.

The police initially sent the student to the prosecution without detention on charges of violating the Sexual Violence Punishment Act. However, while still under investigation, the student was found committing the same crime again in March. This time, he was caught recording women with his phone in the restroom of another nearby building.

Kim Hye Jung, Director of the Korea Sexual Violence Counseling Center, emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “We need to recognize that illegal recording is not a one-time act.”

The student was arrested last month. The police explained that although they had applied for an arrest warrant during the initial investigation, it was dismissed due to reasons such as the lack of a flight risk. Meanwhile, the shocking case has raised concerns about the effectiveness of current measures in preventing repeat offenses and protecting victims from such crimes.