Around 80 videos showcasing scenes of patients receiving treatment, changing clothes at domestic obstetrics and gynecology, plastic surgery, and rehabilitation clinics at South Korean medical facilities have been resurfaced overseas across various porn sites. The footage is believed to be shot through IP cameras; this case raises concerns for patients’ privacy and a severe medical safety and security breach.

Rep. Hoe Jong-sik, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, shared that 21 videos out of 80 that have been circulated are linked to OB-GYN clinics in Seoul. The footage reportedly displayed patients undergoing medical procedures and other private movements inside medical healthcare facilities. Hoe has raised concerns about how this will the impacts patient’s trust in medical healthcare facilities and asked,

The leaked footage came from various corners of medical centers such as examination rooms, consultation rooms, waiting rooms, consultation rooms and ultrasound rooms, where patients generally expect a high level of privacy.

According to reports, most of the videos have been recorded through internet-connected IP cameras, raising serious concerns about privacy breaches in medical surveillance systems. The case comes across as a vulnerable case as it exposes patient’s identities, medical consultations and personal medical information which is supposed to be confidential.

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Authorities have launched an investigation into the matter of medical CCTV footage that has surfaced online and been obtained. Rep. Hoe Jong-sik raised the concern and requested the National Police Agency on September 29.

​The case was then assigned to the North Chungcheong Provincial Police Agency for further investigation. The necessary arrests have also been made. Four people were arrested who were directly involved in distributing, hacking, and selling private medical facilities' CCTV footage. Police are now re-examining whether the latest identified videos are related to the earlier leaked video, and how the footage was reposted on overseas websites.

Jeong Eun-Kyeong, South Korea’s Health and Welfare Minister, has also emphasized the need for stronger and stricter protection of medical healthcare information.

(Rh/AM)