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Police probe re-leak of Korean hospital CCTV footage; initial distributor arrested
Versión 2: A new report added that four suspects were arrested last year over the original hacking and distribution and that the footage was re-posted on other sites, which police now plan to investigate — details that had previously appeared only in a single headline — and two further outlets covered the case.
En breve
Police are investigating suspicions that CCTV footage from inside Korean medical institutions, including examination and changing areas, was leaked to overseas illegal sites and later re-posted elsewhere. A lawmaker's office says 80 videos from obstetrics, plastic surgery, Korean medicine and rehabilitation clinics are circulating, 21 of them tied to one Seoul obstetrics clinic. Four suspects were arrested last year over the original hacking and distribution, according to Hankook Ilbo.
Leer la noticia completa 2 min de lectura
Police have opened an investigation into suspicions that closed-circuit television footage recorded inside Korean medical institutions, including operating rooms and changing areas, was leaked to overseas illegal sites. The National Police Agency received a request for investigation over suspected hacking and leaking of medical institution CCTV footage on September 29 from the office of Democratic Party lawmaker Heo Jong-sik, and assigned the case to the Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency, according to Yonhap, Maeil Business and Hankook Ilbo. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
Heo's office said a review of the leak found 80 videos circulating on overseas pornographic sites, recorded inside domestic obstetrics and gynecology clinics, plastic surgery clinics, Korean medicine clinics and rehabilitation medicine clinics, including scenes of patients being examined and changing clothes. Twenty-one of those videos were linked to a single obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Seoul, the office said. Maeil Business reported the figures citing Yonhap. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
Most of the leaked footage is believed to have been filmed with internet protocol cameras, the outlets reported. IP cameras are classified as CCTV equipment but, unlike conventional CCTV, connect to wired or wireless internet and can transmit footage to other devices in real time, and the documents note that concerns about their security have been raised repeatedly. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
Hankook Ilbo reported that four suspects accused of hacking the footage and distributing and selling it on an illegal site were arrested last year. At the time, police requested that a site hosting the material, along with other illegal recordings, be blocked and took measures to protect victims, the outlet said. The footage was nonetheless re-distributed to other sites, and police plan to investigate those who re-posted it, according to the report, which a Newsis headline also described as a re-leak investigation with the initial distributor arrested. [ 6 ]
Heo said patients cannot feel safe going to hospitals when footage of examinations and changing clothes is circulating, and called for a thorough investigation including international cooperation. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
Installing and operating CCTV in operating rooms has been mandatory at medical institutions performing surgery on patients who are unconscious from anesthesia since a September 2023 amendment to the Medical Act, Yonhap and Maeil Business reported. [ 1 , 3 ]
Por qué importa
The case centers on the operating-room CCTV that Korean medical institutions have been required to install since a September 2023 amendment to the Medical Act, and on internet-connected IP cameras used in clinics. A lawmaker who requested the investigation said patients cannot feel safe going to hospitals and called for international cooperation. The documents give no indication of how many patients or institutions are affected beyond the figures cited by the lawmaker's office.
Datos clave
- The National Police Agency received a request for investigation into suspected hacking and leaking of medical institution CCTV footage on September 29 from the office of Democratic Party lawmaker Heo Jong-sik, and assigned the case to the Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- Heo's office said 80 videos recorded inside domestic medical institutions — obstetrics and gynecology clinics, plastic surgery clinics, Korean medicine clinics and rehabilitation medicine clinics — were found circulating on overseas pornographic sites, showing examination and changing-room scenes. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- Of those, 21 videos were linked to one obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Seoul, according to Heo's office. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- Most of the leaked footage is believed to have been recorded by IP cameras, which connect to wired or wireless internet and can transmit video to other devices in real time. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- Four suspects accused of hacking the footage and distributing and selling it on an illegal site were arrested last year, and police requested that a site hosting the material be blocked and took victim protection measures, Hankook Ilbo reported. [ 6 ]
- The footage was later re-distributed on other sites, and police plan to investigate those who re-posted it, according to Hankook Ilbo and a Newsis headline. [ 4 , 6 ]
- Heo said patients cannot feel safe going to hospitals when footage of examinations and changing clothes is circulating, and called for a thorough investigation including international cooperation. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- Installing and operating CCTV in operating rooms has been mandatory at institutions performing surgery on patients unconscious from anesthesia since a September 2023 amendment to the Medical Act. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmado por varias fuentes
- Police opened an investigation into suspicions that CCTV footage from domestic medical institutions was leaked to overseas illegal sites. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- The police received the request for investigation from Rep. Heo Jong-sik's office on September 29 and assigned the case to the Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- Heo's office said 80 videos recorded inside domestic medical institutions were distributed on overseas pornographic sites, including 21 from one Seoul obstetrics clinic. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- Most of the leaked videos are believed to have been filmed with IP cameras, which are connected to the internet and are considered vulnerable to security breaches. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- CCTV installation and operation in operating rooms was made mandatory under a September 2023 revision of the Medical Act. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- The footage was posted again on other sites after the initial distribution, and the initial distributor was arrested, according to Hankook Ilbo's report on four suspects arrested last year and a Newsis headline. [ 4 , 6 ]
Aún sin aclarar
- Whether the footage was obtained through hacking and who is responsible for the original leak Documents describe the leak as a suspicion (의혹) under police investigation; no outlet reports a confirmed cause, and the arrest report concerns the distribution and sale of the footage.
- The number of patients or institutions affected beyond the 80 videos and the 21 Seoul clinic videos cited by Heo's office No document gives a broader count or identifies the affected institutions or patients.
- Whether police have officially confirmed the arrests and the re-distribution investigation The arrest and re-distribution details come from Hankook Ilbo's article and a Newsis headline; no police statement is quoted in the documents.
Qué dicen los medios locales
Cronología, hora local
- Last year: four suspects accused of hacking the footage and distributing and selling it on an illegal site are arrested, and police request that a site hosting the material be blocked and take victim protection measures; the footage is later re-distributed on other sites. [ 6 ]
- September 29: the National Police Agency receives a request for investigation from Rep. Heo Jong-sik's office and assigns the case to the Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- Yonhap reports that police have begun investigating the alleged leak of hospital surgery-room and changing-room CCTV footage to overseas illegal sites. [ 1 ]
- Korea Economic Daily headlines the leak of surgery and changing-room CCTV footage to overseas pornographic sites. [ 2 ]
- Maeil Business reports the police investigation, the 80 leaked videos and the 21 videos tied to a Seoul obstetrics clinic. [ 3 ]
- Newsis headlines that police are investigating a re-leak of the footage and that the initial distributor has been arrested. [ 4 ]
- Seoul Shinmun headlines that footage of patients being examined at an obstetrics clinic was distributed on a pornographic site. [ 5 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports that four suspects were arrested last year over the original hacking and distribution and that the footage was re-posted on other sites, which police now plan to investigate. [ 6 ]