Seoul Metropolitan Metro announced that 1,700 CCTV cameras will be installed in the train running on Subway line 2 and 7 starting from March 28, 2012. The plan is a temporary measure to monitor rising numbers of conflicts taking place on the subway. If the feedback from subway users is promising, full installation of all 1,700 CCTV will be completed by 2013.

In 2011, approximately 6,437,000 metropolitan citizens took the subway each day. Although more than a quarter of the metropolitan population uses the subway, nothing prevented them from experiencing face frowning situations.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency who gathered reports of sexual harassment on the subway, 671 such incidents were reported in 2009, whereas the number jumped to 1,275 in 2011. While the numbers remain relatively small, they commented that many might feel embarrassed or ashamed to report such misconduct. The police agency caught a little less than 1,000 sexual offenders on sight in 2011. However, due to the crowds on the trains and the extent of sexual harassment differs on the individual’s view, defining the exact number is problematic.

Along with sexual harassment other issues, such as physical assaults, pickpockets, and other forms of misdemeanors, are to be heavily monitored by the government. Only a week ago, a video clip was uploaded onto the Internet. The short three minute clip showed a woman, who came to be known as ‘cigarette woman’, smoking and drinking on the subway. Moreover, there are considerable amounts of disputes regarding respect for elders on the subway. Young people claim that old people have gone too far.

With the installation of CCTV cameras in the subway, the administration hopes to deter people from committing minor crimes and to obtain hard evidence when such crimes do happen.

This is not the first time the Seoul Metropolitan Metro considered such safety measures. The plan to set up ‘women-only cars’ was in place until it was stopped by criticism. Netizens argued that the policy was discriminatory and should not be implemented. Last month, the administration doubled the number of police officers in train stations. By hiring 84 new personnel to patrol the stations, the administration seeks to apprehend criminals quickly. The number of officers in the stations is now at 149.

Regardless of the purpose, there are concerns about whether CCTV cameras may invade a person’s privacy. Some critics suggested that the CCTV camera system could be used as a surveillance tool on a particular individual. However, the general public on the Internet has a different point of view. They celebrate the Metro for taking a step forward to eradicate minor crimes on subways.

Choi Yun-Seong(Reporter)

paulc_0615@kookmin.ac.kr