Crackdown Initiated on 'Room Cafes' for Juvenile Delinquency and Depravity

Seoul City Councilor Lee Heewon Initiates Investigation and Strongly Requests Intensive Crackdown on ‘Closed-type Room Cafes’ Where Juvenile Delinquency Occurs

Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and Police Agency Begin On-site Inspections and File Complaints with Police Stations to Launch Intensive Crackdown

Adolescents reading comics at a comic book cafe

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] A large-scale crackdown will be conducted on room cafes, which are rapidly increasing as harmful establishments for youth in the Gangnam Station and Hongdae Entrance areas of Seoul, known for their closed-off rooms.

Lee Heewon, a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council’s Education Committee (People Power Party, Dongjak 4), held a meeting on the 13th at the Seoul Metropolitan Council Members’ Office Building with Gu Jahee, Director of the Lifelong Career Education Bureau of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, and related officials. This meeting was to receive a report on the practical implementation plan following Lee’s request in January for an intensive crackdown on new and variant youth-harmful establishments such as room cafes.

A room cafe is a compound word of Room and Cafe, referring to a cafe made up of rooms. The usage fee is around 10,000 KRW for 2 to 3 hours, or even cheaper for unlimited use. The original purpose of room cafes was to comfortably relax by watching movies or dramas on the TV inside the room and drinking beverages.

However, recently, there have been continuous concerns that juvenile delinquency is occurring in these closed-off spaces designed as independent rooms. In the case of ‘closed-type room cafes’ that resemble lodging businesses, most do not impose restrictions such as prohibiting youth entry, effectively operating like ‘youth motels’ where juveniles can easily enter.

Councilor Lee Heewon pointed out, “Closed-type room cafes operate in a sealed structure where physical contact and sexual acts between opposite sexes can easily occur, raising high concerns about their misuse for serious crimes against youth such as school violence and underage prostitution.” In January, he urged the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and Seoul Police Agency to prepare practical implementation plans for intensive crackdowns and received a promise of full cooperation at this meeting.

As a result of these concerns, Gu Jahee, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, stated that they will promptly identify whether room cafes operating within educational environment protection zones fall under ‘establishments prohibited for youth entry and employment according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’s notice,’ conduct on-site inspections (requesting confirmation documents), and take measures such as filing complaints with police stations (requesting investigations) to eradicate ‘closed-type room cafes.’

Furthermore, they announced plans to conduct surveys and intensive crackdowns as soon as possible on similar establishments such as room cafes and multi-rooms located near schools within Seoul through cooperation with related agencies (Seoul Metropolitan Government, Police Agency).

Meeting Hosted by Lee Heewon, Seoul City Council Member

Councilor Lee said, “At the council level, we will do our best to ensure that this intensive crackdown on room cafes is not a one-time event but leads to fundamental improvements through legislative and policy support in the future,” and requested active cooperation from the Office of Education and Police Agency for this purpose.

Gwangjin District Conducts Joint Public-Private-Police ‘Special Guidance and Inspection of Room Cafes’

On the 7th and 8th, joint inspections by district office, police station, Korea Youth Development Association, and Eoullim Welfare Council

Focus on compliance with Food Sanitation Act facility standards and restrictions on youth entry and employment

Administrative actions and continuous management planned based on inspection results to prevent youth delinquency hotspots

Gwangjin District (District Mayor Kim Kyungho) conducted a ‘Special Guidance and Inspection of Room Cafes’ from the 7th to the 8th.

Recently, new types of room cafes have been pointed out as hotbeds for juvenile delinquency, becoming a social issue. These new room cafes are places that opened as general restaurants or snack bars but operate like lodging businesses with enclosed spaces equipped with bedding or restrooms. The fact that youth can use these places without restrictions has caused controversy.

In response, the district expressed a strong will for guidance and crackdown on new room cafes and carried out a joint special guidance, inspection, and campaign. For the inspection and campaign, the Gwangjin District Health Center, Gwangjin District Office Child and Youth Division, Gwangjin Police Station, and private organizations related to youth protection such as the Korea Youth Development Association and Eoullim Welfare Council all participated.

They inspected restaurants operating as room cafes for ▲unreported business operations ▲installation of locking devices ▲sale of alcoholic beverages to youth, and overall compliance with facility standards under the Food Sanitation Act and operator obligations.

Additionally, based on the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’s ‘Notice on Designation of Establishments Prohibited for Youth Entry and Employment,’ they checked whether the establishments allowed youth entry and, if designated as prohibited, whether youth entry and employment were actually restricted. According to the notice, establishments that are enclosed spaces or divided by partitions and equipped with bedding or audiovisual equipment are prohibited for youth entry.

Meanwhile, on the 11th, the Gwangjin District Health Center’s Health and Hygiene Division, Gwangjin District Office Child and Youth Division, Seoul Metropolitan Government, and special judicial police jointly conducted another round of guidance and inspection targeting youth-harmful establishments. They focused on compliance with youth protection regulations, facility standards, and operator obligations.

The district plans to take administrative actions under the Food Sanitation Act and Youth Protection Act against establishments found violating regulations and will continue to manage the new room cafes to prevent them from becoming spaces for youth delinquency.

Kim Kyungho, Mayor of Gwangjin District, said, “We will strive to create an environment where youth can grow up healthy and safely,” and added, “We will continue strong guidance and crackdowns on new room cafes going forward.”