ILLEGAL FILMING AT FINA

[Anchor Lead]

A Japanese national was sent to the prosecution for indictment, on the charge of illicitly recording certain body parts of female swimmers at the 2019 FINA World Championships. The Japanese man initially denied all charges but later admitted to the offenses, claiming that he was aroused by their muscular bodies.

[Pkg]

​A 37-year-old Japanese spectator was caught secretly videotaping female water polo players at the FINA World Championships in Gwangju on July 14th. His case was sent to the prosecutors' office. Police checked his camera and discovered 20 video recordings about 17 minutes long from the water polo and diving events. The footage contained closeups of body parts of about ten female athletes. When the police showed the video to the perpetrator, he belatedly admitted to the crime, saying that he was aroused by their muscular physique. The police sent his case to the prosecutors' office for violating the special act on sexual violence.

[Soundbite] LEE SU-GYEONG(GWANGSAN POLICE STATION) : "After three days of investigation and with the digital forensics result out, he admitted to his crime."

The Japanese spectator initially denied all charges, claiming that he was simply filming the athletes' practice sessions. But the police found additional evidence of him filming the divers just the day before being caught by a security guard while secretly filming female water polo players. The swimming competition's organizing committee is making necessary upgrades to security guards and volunteers training to prevent the occurrence of similar incidents.

[Soundbite] SEONG BAEK-YU(SPOKESMAN, 2019 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN GWANGJU) : "We try to prevent such incidents by carefully monitoring people taking photos from the spectator seats and corridors."

The police explained that even if the Japanese national's allegations are confirmed, his offenses are not serious enough for detainment, so he will be allowed to leave the country once he makes a custody deposit.