Molka

Molka (Korean: 몰카, Korean pronunciation: [mo(ː)ɭkʰa], lit. 'hidden camera') is the Korean term for hidden cameras or miniature spy cameras secretly and illegally installed, often in order to capture voyeuristic images and videos. Molka is an abbreviation of mollae-kamera (Korean: 몰래카메라), which means "sneaky camera". The expression originated from the homonymous title of a Korean prank TV show, which existed from March 1991 to November 1992. This makes the term denote prank and spy camera at the same time.

In South Korea, spy cameras proliferated in the 2010s and are most commonly installed in small holes or cracks in walls in locations such as women's public restrooms and motel rooms. The voyeuristic images and videos are sold online across various platforms, including popular social media sites like Twitter and Tumblr, without knowledge or consent of those on camera. 'Molka' can refer to both the actual cameras as well as the footage later posted online.^[1] South Korea's highly digitized society makes it easy to circulate molka footage and difficult to remove once it has been circulated.

As the number of spy camera incidents has rapidly increased since 2011, molka crimes have become a prominent point of feminist protest and #MeToo in South Korea. Women overwhelmingly make up the majority of victims of molka crimes, while men make up the vast majority of perpetrators. Prosecution rates for molka crimes are low, and punishment through fines or jail time is weaker in practice than stated in South Korean law. Many women and critics say that molka crimes and the lack of action taken towards them are a product of distorted gendered violence against women in South Korea and the flaws in the law enforcement system.

In June 2021, the Human Rights Watch named South Korea for leading in spycam usage for digital sex crimes.^[2]