Reward Money Paparazzi System expands in S.Korea

Posted on : 2010-02-02 12:21 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
While the system empowers citizens to prevent illegal acts, experts are voicing concerns that the system is increasing mutual surveillance in society

“If a karaoke bar calls in male ‘helpers’ for me, can I get reward money for reporting that?” (“Choi,” Hongje-dong, Seoul)

“Of course. You must have a video of the helper coming in with alcohol and talking. You have to act naturally.” (Instructor)

This exchange took place on Monday at the Q&A Corner of the website for the “M” Academy, which specializes in training “Reward Money Paparazzi.” The academy takes dozens of questions like this every day through its web site, by telephone and by direct visit. Some 4,300 people are currently studying there as “reward money specialists,” and every time they run into difficulties in their work, they ask the academy for this type of knowhow.

The central and local governments are moving to expand the “paparazzi” system this year with the goal of reducing illegal acts through “voluntary citizen participation,” and the number of applications has correspondingly risen greatly. The “Emergency Exit Paparazzi” system was launched on Jan. 1 as a trial period during which citizens can report blocked emergency exits in buildings used for business purposes. In addition, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) recently announced plans to introduce the “Education Paparazzi,” saying that it would take reports on educational improprieties. On Jan. 19, the Korean Deposit Insurance Corporation (KDIC) decided to accept reports written by citizens on hidden assets overseas. This means that three more paparazzi systems have already been added in 2010. The Education Paparazzi system offers reward money of up to 100 million Won, while those who report hidden overseas assets could receive reward money of up to 500 million Won.

Well-known examples of paparazzi systems operated by the government and other organizations include the “Bong-parazzi,” who track the issuing of free plastic bags, “Soe-parazzi,” who check for false labeling of beef place of origin, “Kkong-parazzi,” who report on the improper disposal of cigarette butts and “No-parazzi,” who report on illegal karaoke operation. The systems, however, are not limited to these examples. There are more than 60 systems altogether, including “Pharm-parazzi,” who monitor violations of the division of labor between pharmacy and hospital and whose participants require a certain degree of expertise, and “Ssal-parazzi,” who monitor false labeling of rice place of origin. The amount of reward money given varies widely, from tens of thousands of won to hundreds of millions.

In light of this situation, paparazzi academies have started to become more and more specialized. The “M” Academy teaches students how to use high-tech equipment ranging from ordinary digital cameras to the kind of infrared pinhole cameras used by security agents, and instructs them on techniques for on-site filming of activities such as prostitution and trash disposal. For course fees totaling around one million Won per month, the academy will teach people how to take “profitable” pictures, including those of entertainers appearing before prosecutors, and how to avoid legal obstacles such as restrictions on violating an individual’s right to his or her own image. For the short course, a two-day program where students study from a “reward system textbook” made by the academy itself, the course fee is around 250,000 Won.

The industry estimates that there around 20 such formal paparazzi academies nationwide. An “M” Academy official said, “A plastic bag, a toothpick, a paper cup - it is all money.” The official added, “Some people are earning in the hundreds of millions of won per month.”

Industry officials said that the increase in the number of citizens involved in this system became particularly prominent last year, centering mainly on unemployed individuals, when the country was facing severe economic and employment difficulties and the organizations running paparazzi systems increased their reward money.

Some observers, however, are charging that by offering reward money to citizens while public authorities remain unable to crack down on illegal actions themselves, the increase in paparazzi systems promotes a society that encourages surveillance.

Park Heung-sik, public policy professor of Chung-Ang University “There is something inevitable about the idea of preventing illegal acts through the power of citizens until the society’s ‘ethical muscles’ are solid.” However, Park added, “It is not desirable for the means to be ‘mutual surveillance methods’ reminiscent of those used when rounding up ‘suspicious types’ during the authoritarian era.”

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