Communities Exclusive to Men and Overseas Prostitution Can Also Be Punished Domestically
Domestic online travel communities where reviews of using prostitution establishments in Southeast Asian countries are rampant are causing public outrage. According to Yonhap News on the 23rd, this travel community, which has been operating since 2020, has posted a total of about 1,500 articles, most of which are reviews of using prostitution establishments in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and other countries.
One author enthusiastically listed 'byeonma' (prostitution establishments disguised as massage shops) and shared prices and reviews. It is not difficult to find sympathetic responses such as "You can enjoy fun at a cheap price by diligently searching around."
In this way, 'overseas expedition prostitution' reviews are spreading unfiltered online. Despite continuous police crackdowns, it still runs rampant. Prostitution with minors is also shared without shame. Another author wrote, "I enjoyed it in a cage costing XX won," and "She said she was 19, but I can't believe it." This post has now been deleted.
There are also posts sharing exact locations. It is reported that some of these posts share photos or videos presumed to have been illegally taken during prostitution.
Along with this, a post titled 'Prostitution cafes disguised as Southeast Asia travel' that has spread across several online communities recently reveals that there is a cafe where only men born between 1930 and before 1994 can join. It was established in March 2004 and has nearly 19,000 members. On a bulletin board within this cafe that only excellent members can use, posts such as 'Got caught by a new fox,' 'Mongolian women class part 2,' 'All Mongolian entertainment information,' and 'Mekong karaoke enjoyed by three people' have been uploaded.
It is not just posts. On YouTube, videos visiting prostitution establishments while introducing the 'nightlife' overseas can be easily found. One video recommending a prostitution establishment in Uzbekistan has surpassed 3.5 million views.
According to the 2022 Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's 'Research Report on the Actual Condition and Response Measures of Prostitution,' 25.8% of those who had experience purchasing sex within a year responded that they had 'experience with prostitution overseas.' Since Korean criminal law adopts the principle of nationality, even if prostitution was done in countries where it is legal, one can be punished. Currently, a revision bill to the Act on the Punishment of Acts of Prostitution, which would allow punishment for posting specific information such as prostitution reviews online, has been proposed and is pending in the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee.
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