Prostitution and Gambling Activities Decreased by 25% Last Year
Illegal Entertainment Venues Continue to Be Detected Despite Gathering Bans
Crime Related to These Expected to Rise with More Users
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Crimes related to public morals, such as prostitution and illegal gambling operations, which sharply declined due to the spread of COVID-19, have emerged as the top priority for vigilance ahead of the "With Corona" policy. It is expected that once restrictions on gatherings are lifted, the number of users will increase, and related illegal activities will also surge.
According to the Police Agency's "Status of Crackdown on Public Morals Establishments" data on the 18th, the number of crackdowns on public morals crimes such as prostitution and gambling decreased by 25%, from 20,356 cases in 2019 to 15,235 cases last year. By violation type, there were 4,014 cases of gambling, 3,402 cases of prostitution, 2,223 cases of businesses targeting minors, and 755 cases of perverted businesses such as illegal employment of hostesses, in that order.
In the case of prostitution offenders, the number of arrests fell below 10,000 (9,016) for the first time since the enactment of the Prostitution Punishment Act in 2004. Among them, 62.2% were caught in the Seoul metropolitan area, including Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon. The number of arrests related to illegal gambling establishments also recorded 6,627 people (120 detained), a decrease of more than 1,000 compared to the previous year. This is analyzed to be due to the prohibition of operations at entertainment facilities such as pubs, karaoke bars, and clubs to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and the significant decrease in users due to concerns about infection and crackdowns.
The number of establishments that closed down was relatively small. The number of public morals establishments managed by the police (including pubs, karaoke bars, lodging businesses, beauty salons, video viewing rooms, singing practice rooms, game rooms, dance halls, etc.) decreased by 3%, from 148,685 in 2019 to 144,228 last year. Therefore, there are concerns that related crimes could increase significantly once the With Corona policy is officially implemented and normal business operations resume. In fact, illegal operations of entertainment facilities continued even when business was prohibited due to gathering restrictions. From July 3 to August 17 this year, over 15 weeks, the police uncovered 1,091 cases related to illegal entertainment facility operations such as secret business, arresting 7,896 people.
The police plan to continue regular crackdowns on illegal activities such as violations of current laws even after restrictions on entertainment facility operations are lifted. A Police Agency official stated, "We will decide on future crackdowns while monitoring the policies of the quarantine authorities," and added, "We will continue to respond strictly to clear illegal acts such as unregistered operations and illegal prostitution mediation."
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