30s Male Fined for Secretly Operating Adult Entertainment Business Near Elementary School

A man in his 30s who was prosecuted for operating a prostitution business near an elementary school was sentenced to a fine in the first trial.

According to the legal community on the 6th, Judge Kim Han-cheol of the Criminal Division 17 at the Seoul Central District Court recently sentenced A (33 years old, male), who was indicted for violating the Educational Environment Protection Act, to a fine of 2 million won.

The court stated, "The sentence was determined by comprehensively considering the legislative purpose of the Educational Environment Protection Act, the time and scale of the defendant's operation of the business, and the fact that it was his first offense."

Earlier, A was prosecuted for operating a prostitution business about 70 meters away from an elementary school near Nakseongdae Station in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, in October last year.

According to the prosecution, A operated the facility under the guise of a 'massage parlor' and only accepted customers through online reservations via adult websites. The first-floor entrance door was a fire door that was usually locked, and entry was allowed only after confirming through CCTV monitors whether the customer was a reserved guest.

Inside, there were separate shower facilities and eight guest rooms. Two rooms had beds, and six rooms were equipped with mats. Each room had a lock, and devices to adjust the brightness of the lights were also installed.

The court said, "According to the evidence, unused contraceptives were found in the pouches of the on-site employees, and used contraceptives were found in the trash can in front of the employees' waiting room," adding, "The entrance door was usually blocked, and CCTV was installed outside the business, which appears to be a measure to prepare for crackdowns."

It also pointed out, "Even if the defendant did not directly engage in prostitution business at this establishment, it can be sufficiently recognized that the business was conducted with the risk of physical contact, sexual acts, or similar sexual acts occurring inside."