A studio photographer in his 20s was booked without detention over allegations that he sexually harassed his customers after secretly taking pictures up their skirts, police said Monday.

According to Seodaemun Police Station, the 23-year-old photographer is being accused of forcibly touching body parts of 215 clients, who are all college students in the area, and secretly taking pictures up their skirts on 225 occasions between May 4 of last year and Feb. 2 at a studio in Sinchon. 

Police said they were able to obtain 30 victim statements out of the 215 victims. The victims who came forward claimed to have been sexually harassed by the suspect as he tried to “straighten up their clothing” during the photo shoot, according to police.

The suspect reportedly admitted to having taken the photos after asking them to write down their e-mail addresses on his computer if they wanted to receive the original version of the photos. He, however, claimed to have secretly taken the photos for “personal use” and denied distributing the photos.

Police have sent the case over to the prosecutors’ office.

By Catherine Chung (cec82@heraldcorp.com)