Paju-si Begins Owl Activities with Closure of First Sex Trade District of the Year

Kim Kyung-il Vows to Shut Down the Red-Light District
Direct Action Taken Inside the District to Block Sex Buyers

On the 24th, Paju City in Gyeonggi Province announced that it started the "Owl Activity," a campaign to block sex buyers in order to close down the red-light district, on the 21st.

Paju City started the "Owl Activity," a campaign to block sex buyers aimed at closing the red-light district, on the 21st. Photo by Paju City

The campaign took place from 10 PM on the 21st until 3 AM the next day at key locations within the Yeonpung-ri red-light district, with about 100 participants including public officials and members of the Paju City Autonomous Crime Prevention Union.

Unlike last year, when the campaign was held at the main entrances of the red-light district, this year it is conducted inside the district with participants holding signs to inform that prostitution is illegal. Conducting the campaign inside the district is expected to have a greater effect in blocking sex buyers compared to previous efforts.

Park Young-gil, chief of the Autonomous Crime Prevention Union who participated in the Owl Activity, said, "As a result of continuous efforts to eradicate prostitution over the past two years, gradual progress is being made. We will strive to protect the rights of women in blind spots of human rights and to completely eradicate illegal prostitution."

Kim Kyung-il, mayor of Paju City, expressed gratitude, saying, "I thank the public officials, the Autonomous Crime Prevention Mobile Patrol Union, and residents who work hard until dawn to block sex buyers." He added, "We will thoroughly maintain this place, which is a site of women's human rights violations and illegality, so that it can be returned to the citizens. Paju City will firmly close the red-light district to establish itself as a truly women-friendly city."

Meanwhile, the "Owl Activity" campaign to block sex buyers has been ongoing since 2023, with over 2,000 participants taking part in a total of 25 sessions up to last year.