"Youth Openly Allowed in Enclosed Rooms"... Seven Illegal Room Cafes Caught

Seoul Conducts Special Crackdown on 54 Youth-Harmful Establishments
Facilities Operated by Charging 10,000 Won Entrance Fee per Minor

Seven youth-harmful establishments that allowed minors to enter while blocking outside visibility or creating enclosed spaces-such as by covering entrance door glass with opaque materials-have been caught.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Special Judicial Police announced on December 22 that it had conducted a special crackdown on 54 youth-harmful establishments from immediately after the college entrance exam until November 28, resulting in the detection of seven establishments in violation of the Youth Protection Act.

A youth harmful establishment operating with the entrance glass covered. Seoul City

Establishment A operated in an enclosed manner and displayed a sign on the entrance stairway glass stating "Youth Entry Allowed." At the time of the inspection, it was found to be operating with nine minors allowed entry into five rooms.

Establishment B was found to have violated the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's regulation that "the entrance door of a room cafe must be transparent above 1.3 meters from the floor." The facility was operated by attaching opaque materials to the entrance door glass or installing opaque curtains (blinds) on the wall glass, thereby blocking outside visibility, and charging an entrance fee of 10,000 won per minor.

Establishment C was found to be operating in a variant form by installing a small glass window (20×10 cm) that made it difficult to see inside from outside when the interior lights were off.

Operating a youth-harmful establishment in an enclosed manner without displaying signs prohibiting the entry or employment of minors is punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won under Article 29 of the Youth Protection Act.

The Special Judicial Police urged the public to immediately report any discovery of variant room cafes or similar establishments through the "Seoul Smart Report" app or the "Seoul Metropolitan Government Response Center for Reporting Crimes Against Public Welfare" to protect minors.

Kim Hyunjung, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Special Judicial Police, stated that a preemptive crackdown was conducted in anticipation of increased youth usage after the college entrance exam. He added, "We will strengthen continuous monitoring and planned crackdowns on related establishments, expand cooperation with relevant agencies, and establish a more comprehensive youth protection system."