Police Arrest 50 Members of Prostitution Brokerage Organization in Southwest Seoul Motel Area

The police have uncovered a group of 50 individuals who have been systematically facilitating prostitution in a motel district located in the southwestern area of Seoul's entertainment district, and have handed over 49 of them to the prosecution, excluding one who fled.

On the 14th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Vice Crime Investigation Team announced that they had apprehended a total of 50 people, including 10 owners of brothels and 13 motel owners, for facilitating prostitution. Earlier this month, two were sent to prosecution under detention and 47 were sent without detention on charges of violating the Act on the Punishment of Acts of Arranging Sexual Traffic. Among those caught, one brothel owner is currently on the run, wanted for violating the Narcotics Control Act. Facilitating prostitution is punishable by up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to 70 million won.

'Yeogwanbari' Prostitution Mediation Act Arrest Video Capture / Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency

According to the police, these individuals had reserved rooms at 15 lodging establishments clustered in the southwestern entertainment district and were systematically facilitating prostitution in the form of "yeogwanbari." "Yeogwanbari" is a form of prostitution facilitation where, upon payment of room fees and a commission, clients engage in sexual acts with women recruited through brothels connected to the motel.

The police confirmed that many motels in the area had been colluding with brothel organizations to continuously facilitate prostitution and arrested key members of the motel and brothel operators involved through a crackdown. It was found that most establishments in the clustered area were involved in illegal activities and were reluctant to report to the police. Despite previous prostitution crackdowns, the punishments were minor and isolated, allowing the prostitution business to continue.

The police have been investigating the case since June of last year, identifying the entire period, scope, and degree of involvement in the illegal "yeogwanbari" operations carried out in collusion between motels and brothels in the area. It was confirmed that among the suspects sent to prosecution, there were former members of organized crime groups.

The police stated that they will continue to track down and arrest the brothel owner who is currently on the run among the key suspects. Additionally, to fundamentally block illegal operations, the police plan to apply for pre-indictment seizure of three buildings used for prostitution and notify the National Tax Service of 15 billion won in criminal proceeds for taxation purposes.

A representative from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said, "As social distancing measures are lifted and daily life is restored, crimes that harm sound sexual customs and social order may increase. Therefore, we will continue to crack down on illegal prostitution facilitation activities."