A national police report has revealed that more than 120,000 home cameras were breached and used to create sexploitation videos, deepening long-held fears about covert filming in everyday life.
South Korea’s police have confirmed that more than 120,000 home cameras were hacked and the footage used to create sexually exploitative videos, in what they describe as one of the most extensive cases of its kind. The information was outlined in a report by the National Police Agency, which said four people had been arrested. The scale has unsettled many in the country, where concerns about covert filming have been common for years, although these were often focused on public places rather than private homes.
The hacked devices were internet-connected cameras, widely used to check on children, pets or elderly relatives. They were also installed in a range of small businesses, clinics, gyms and other everyday spaces. According to investigators, the suspects did not work together. Each exploited weak passwords, often factory defaults or simple combinations such as repeated characters. The police said the ease of access meant the hacking required little more than persistence and basic technical know-how.
One suspect is accused of breaking into more than 60,000 cameras and producing over 500 videos that were later sold on a foreign website operating illegally. Another suspect is alleged to have hacked around 70,000 devices and created a similar number of videos. Police said the pair made the bulk of the footage posted on that platform over the past year, and that buyers also included people now under investigation for possession of illegal content.
South Korea has spent more than a decade attempting to curb illicit filming and the sharing of secret recordings, which have overwhelmingly targeted women and girls. Nearly 50,000 arrests linked to these offences were made between 2011 and 2022. For many people, the latest case reinforces a long-standing anxiety about the misuse of easily available technology, an issue that has prompted regular protests and calls for tougher action.
A professor of police science at Sungshin Women’s University told local media that security breaches involving home cameras had been emerging for several years and that the situation was worsening. Campaigners in South Korea have repeatedly raised similar concerns. They say the country’s history of hidden camera crimes means women often alter their behaviour in public spaces, constantly checking for devices in loos, changing rooms or stairwells. The idea that the same risks now exist inside private homes has added another layer of fear.
The National Police Agency said the website hosting the stolen footage is being targeted for closure and its operator is under investigation. Officers have been visiting known victims to explain what happened and advise them on securing their devices. Many of those affected had no idea they were being filmed for anything other than household monitoring. Some were informed after officers traced footage back to specific camera locations.
The authorities have not named the manufacturers of the compromised devices and have not confirmed whether the hacked cameras were produced domestically or imported. Last year, South Korea’s Science Ministry said a number of home camera products bought directly from overseas sellers did not meet local security standards and were therefore more vulnerable. It is reviewing rule changes that would prevent any camera from operating unless the user creates a strong password during setup.
Cybersecurity specialists in the country argue that poor product design contributes significantly to the problem. One academic from Korea University said the failure to force users to change default passwords amounts to a basic flaw. He warned that many people simply plug in a new device and leave its settings unchanged, unaware that it could be exposed to anyone willing to try a few predictable combinations.
The issue is not unique to South Korea. Previous breaches have involved companies and families in the United States, China and Israel, and the technology is widespread in homes across the world. But the intensity of South Korea’s struggle with hidden cameras and its impact on women gives this case a particular weight. Police there describe the harm as profound, saying victims often deal with long-term distress and fear of further exposure.
Officers have urged people using home cameras to update passwords regularly and install software patches as soon as they are available. They say household monitoring devices can offer reassurance for parents, carers and business owners, but only if they are used with stronger safeguards. For many victims, the latest revelations will raise difficult questions about how something intended for safety could become a tool for violation.
