A bathhouse scrub worker in his 40s who secretly filmed the naked bodies of about 1,000 male customers at a public bathhouse was arrested by police.
According to police and others on the 13th, the Pohang Northern Police Station in North Gyeongsang Province arrested A, a bathhouse scrub worker in his 40s, on charges of violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (habitual use of a camera, etc., for filming) and the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sex Offenses (production of sexual exploitation materials).
From 2021 to 2025, A worked as a scrub worker at three bathhouses in downtown Pohang, North Gyeongsang, where A is suspected of secretly filming customers' naked bodies, and on days off, traveling to about 10 bathhouses nationwide, including in Seoul, Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongju, posing as a customer to secretly film others.
A digital forensic examination of A's mobile phone found more than 4,700 nude photos. In particular, among 100 identified victims, minors were also included, it was found.
A's crimes came to light through a police investigation after a report from one of the victims in December last year. During police questioning at the time, A reportedly said, "I took them to remember the characteristics of regulars. There was no sexual purpose," denying some of the charges.
A police official said, "So far, no indication has been found that the recorded videos were distributed externally," adding, "We will focus investigative resources on identifying additional victims and probing for further offenses."