Content about the study cafe posted on SNS
A burly man enters and suggests, "Let's work at a room salon"
A man in his 30s who lured a teenage repeat student by posting a fake job advertisement for a study cafe part-time job and sexually assaulted her has been sent to the prosecution in custody. Meanwhile, testimony has emerged that a victim who suffered a similar incident several months ago raised objections to the job posting, but the job site took no action.
On January 21, X (formerly Twitter) user A posted, "I am writing this for the public good," stating, "At a study cafe in Seomyeon, Busan, after seeing a resume posted on a part-time job site, they tell women to 'come for a study cafe part-time job interview,' but when they actually go, they are persuaded, 'How about working at the room salon I run?' If you are contacted first by a place you did not apply to, be cautious."
Earlier in April, C (19), a student retaking the college entrance exam, saw a post on an online job site looking for a part-time worker at a study cafe. After meeting with D, a man in his 30s, C was sexually assaulted and made an extreme choice about 20 days later. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. [Photo by Mun Honam munonam@]
A added, "I deleted the post revealing the company name because I was told I could be sued for defamation, but I wrote this hoping everyone would be careful."
Seven months later, on the 6th, it was reported that a teenage repeat student who went to an interview after seeing a study cafe part-time job posting was sexually assaulted and made an extreme choice. Regarding this, A claimed on the 8th, "I did not expect to write more tweets with bad news," and said that the company mentioned in the post he made in January was the same place where this incident occurred.
A said, "I wrote the post in January hoping everyone would be safe regarding what my friend experienced," and uploaded a screenshot of a messenger conversation with friend B.
In the conversation, A sent a news link and said, "This is Seomyeon. Isn't this the place you went to before? They also said it was a study cafe interview, but it was a multi-room. Although the video is mosaic-ed, it seems similar to the location you went to." After checking the video, B said, "Oh no. That's the place. The one I went to."
B continued, "The multi-room sign and the entrance shown in the news are exactly the same. Inside, there was a large iron cage like an old karaoke room door where they could confine you, and two big men interviewed me inside. I was so scared. They gave me 10,000 won in my hand as if to silence me and sent me away. I came thinking it was a study cafe because I had no intention of working at a room salon, but it wasn’t, so I apologized and said I wouldn’t do it," recalling the experience.
Regarding this, A lamented, "I inquired with the part-time job site, saying, 'I went to an interview after seeing a study cafe job posting, but they tried to persuade me to work at a prostitution establishment. Can't you take action against the business account?' but they took no action. It is heartbreaking and absurd that it has come to this."
Police Begin Investigation Expecting More Victims
Mr. D met Mr. C at a study cafe in Jin-gu, Busan, and after suggesting "there is a better job," he persuaded him to work part-time at a disguised sex trade establishment. Mr. D then immediately took him to the establishment and sexually assaulted him. [Photo by Asia Economy]
Earlier, in April, C (19), a repeat student, saw a post on an online job site recruiting for a study cafe part-time job and went to meet a man in his 30s, D, but was sexually assaulted and made an extreme choice about 20 days later.
D met C at a study cafe in Jin-gu, Busan, and persuaded her to work at a disguised prostitution establishment, saying, "There is a better job," then immediately took her to the establishment and sexually assaulted her.
According to the police, suspect D was sent to the prosecution in custody on the 6th on charges including rape by abuse of authority, mediation of prostitution, violation of the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse, and violation of the Employment Security Act.
A police official said, "An essential element of the crime of rape is violence or threats, which requires the victim's testimony. Since the victim is deceased, there is no way to prove this." However, the police confirmed that A attempted to mediate prostitution using a similar method and are investigating, believing there may be more victims besides C.
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