South Korean teen, 18, takes own life after shop shared uncensored photos of her stealing ice cream

An 18-year-old student in South Korea was believed to have taken her own life after photos of her stealing ice cream from a shop began circulating.

South Korea's Ngo News reported that the girl, surnamed Lee, was found dead at her home in Hongseong, South Chungcheong province, on Sep. 23.

Stole about 5,000 won in value

Lee appeared to have stolen from the same unmanned ice cream shop near her school two or three times, according to Ngo News.

The day before her death, she had admitted to a friend through text message that she had stolen because she had no money at the time.

In a message to another friend, she also shared that the items she stole were around 5,000 won (S$4.40) in value.

Uncensored photos of her theft circulated

A few days before Lee's death, the owner of the ice cream shop had sent photos of her stealing ice cream to a local tutoring room, The Korea Herald reported.

The theft had been captured by CCTV cameras in the shop.

According to Ngo News, the photos were uncensored, and the head of the tutoring room who received the photos told the students to find out who the shoplifter was.

The photos were shared among the students at the tutoring room, then quickly circulated among other teenagers in the region.

After Lee found out that the photos were spreading, she reportedly suffered extreme anxiety.

She texted her friends, saying, as quoted by The Korea Herald, "What do I do…my heart is shaking," and "How can I show my face in Hongseong? How am I supposed to handle these rumours?"

The lawyer representing the Lee family told Ngo News that Lee had also expressed suicidal thoughts to her friends over text message, and her friends tried to dissuade her.

Her brother also shared that Lee had confided in him the night before her death, saying she did not know how to move forward.

Their mother planned to resolve the matter with the ice cream shop owner the next day, but by the morning, Lee was found dead.

Privacy violations

The case has sparked public debate over privacy in the country, The Korea Herald reported.

Lee "became the target of ridicule and humiliation because of illegally distributed CCTV images," her father said, adding that she collapsed under "fear and despair".

Lee's family has filed complaints with the police, accusing the ice cream shop owner of violating South Korea's laws on personal information protection and information communication.

The head of the tutoring room who first shared the photos has also been accused of violating information communication laws.

According to The Korea Herald, it is common in South Korea for shops to put up photos of shoplifters caught on camera.

Several small business owners have written online that shoplifting has led to repeated losses, threatening their business, and hence "exposure feels like the only deterrent left".

However, the public has questioned if they can be justified in releasing such photos uncensored, especially when minors are involved.

Many have argued that minors committing petty theft should be handled through legal procedures rather than public exposure.

Under South Korea's image rights laws, publishing identifiable images of an individual without their consent is illegal and can result in defamation or privacy violations.

Helplines

If you or someone you know are in mental distress, here are some hotlines you can call to seek help, advice, or just a listening ear:

National mindline.sg Hotline: 1771 (24 hours)

National mindline.sg WhatsApp: 66691771 (24 hours)

SOS 24-hour Hotline: 1-767

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

Centre for Domestic Employees: 1800 225 5233 (24 hours)

Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training: 1800 339 4357 (24 hours)

HOME: 1800 797 7977 or +65 9787 3122 (WhatsApp / Viber / SMS)

Top images from Ngo News