Some advertisements contain suspiciously good conditions for jobs. They appear deceptively promising, suggesting that the work is not demanding and doesn’t require any intellectual qualifications, yet offers significantly higher earnings than other typical part-time jobs. These ads claim you can make a substantial amount of money through simple activities such as talking to or recruiting other people of a specific gender. However, it’s crucial to recognize that these enticing offers are not a ticket to an effortless paradise but rather a concerning gateway to illicit activities like prostitution. Crimes targeting innocent people by using too-good-to-be-true terms like this are drawing attention.

  Recently, the Tagada ride, which is common in amusement parks and in some entertainment districts, has become a cover for criminal activities. A business owner was arrested on September 25, accused of coercing employees to illegally rob children and teenagers while operating their Tagada rides in 11 locations, including Suwon, Hwaseong, Bucheon, and Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. Employees were also found to have assaulted, threatened, and imprisoned the young victims if they refused to participate in sexual acts. Shockingly, seven of the arrested employees habitually raped children who frequented their rides as regular customers. A police official explained, "Some children still thought of the DJs operating the rides as mere entertainers. They were threatened and knew that if they cooperated with the police investigation, they would be labeled as traitors. The criminal exploitation of vulnerable individuals extends beyond the problems at the Tagada ride. In early September, a minor posted her resume on an online job search site in April, seeking a part-time position at a study café. The suspect called her to a study cafe for an interview and recommended instead a job in prostitution. He reportedly took the victim to “a kissing room,” a business that provides physical contact, such as kisses, caresses, and sexual conversations for monetary gain. He then assaulted the victim sexually in the adjacent building. In addition, various pages on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) contain images and content that promote and even glorify this type of illicit behavior. By glamourizing the acts, when young people looking for a quick way to make money are exposed to this type of content, they are more easily drawn into the profession, believing it is not such a bad idea after all.

▲ The Tagada Ride Where Prostitution Targeting Minors Took Place (Photo from SBS)

  While prostitution in South Korea is illegal, it remains a concern for society. In Korea, ‘The Prostitution Punishment Act’ and ‘the Prostitution Prevention Act’ were enacted on March 22, 2004, and took effect on September 23 of the same year. The laws stipulate that engaging in prostitution will result in imprisonment for up to one year or fines of up to 3 million won. In cases involving minors, the consequences are even more severe, with imprisonment of ranging from one to ten years or fines ranging between 20 to 50 million won. Despite the continued crackdown on prostitution, 7,500 people were arrested last year, and a further 4,600 people have so far been charged this year. This situation has led to calls for additional measures to address the issue more comprehensively. It is a serious problem that prostitution is attracting immature children and adolescents who have not yet achieved intellectual maturity. According to the 2022 Annual Report of the Child and Youth Support Center for Victims of Prostitution released by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, 77.8% of prostitution involving children and adolescents resulted from online platforms, including chatting apps and SNS. The National Solidarity Against Sexual Exploitation of Women highlighted the disturbing tactics employed by clients of sexual acts who lure children and adolescents by offering items like cigarettes and alcohol, or through emotional manipulation, targeting vulnerable teenagers who may already be posting self-harming or explicit content on their social media accounts. According to current law, unless a false job posting is made, contacting individuals directly through a resume and presenting false working conditions are not punishable as a false job advertisement. The reality is that the facilitation of prostitution operates within the blind spot of these laws, allowing this illicit trade to persist as a planned crime that causes victims to fall into the profession.

  The structure of this type of punishment for payments for sexual acts and its loopholes are not well known. What do experts think of this crime and punishment? The Dankook Herald (DKH) interviewed attorneys Ko In-hyung and Park Soo-jin. In the case of the sexual exploitation of minors, the law imposes sentences of up to 10 years in prison for those involved in mediation, inducement, and coercion. However, they cited a lack of police manpower, difficulties in collecting evidence, and tacit acquiescence as reasons why prostitution is still prevalent despite the existence of the laws. As officers responsible for prostitution are understaffed, a joint investigation between police stations is essential. However, these conditions make it difficult to carry out an effective anti-prostitution campaign. In addition, the recent diversification of forms of prostitution has led to the further dispersion of police power, making it impossible to eradicate the crime. Even if a crackdown is carried out, it is usually challenging to secure evidence that proves ‘payments’ were made or ‘sexual activities,’ took place. The DKH also enquired whether strengthening punishment would be effective in preventing further proliferation of the criminal activity. “The perpetrators may be relatively daunted,” the attorneys anticipated, “but it would be difficult to expect dramatic changes given the level of equity with other crimes and the realistic limitations of the police force.” Now that bait prostitution is rampant, legal devices have been introduced to minimize the number of victims, particularly through the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sex Offenses. In the case of prostitution involving minors, even if they do not engage in sexual acts they can be punished for inducing or mediating the crime. Therefore, simply posting an incentive can be enough to be subject to criminal punishment. Furthermore, the Internet Citizens' Monitoring Group, which was launched by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Korea Communications Commission, and the Korea Internet Self-Governance Organization, is in charge of actively detecting and reporting advertisement posts for illegal prostitution.

▲ Prostitution is being approached through various platforms. (Photo from imagetoday)

  Even at this moment as we walk down any given street, prostitution may be taking place in buildings and stores around us. As intellectuals, we carry a responsibility to safeguard minors and vulnerable members of our society from being drawn into prostitution. What is alarming is that, over time, prostitution appears to be increasingly assimilating into our society, becoming normalized. Illegal acts involving innocent members of society can cause serious repercussions even if they have become normalized by society. However, much like the pit of an ant lion, once an individual steps foot into this world, reaching out for help from the outside can be nearly impossible, but it is not a reason to give up. The way to reduce future victims from baiting methods that are diversifying over time begins with the interest and concern of all members of society. By doing so, we can work together to protect the vulnerable and prevent the further encroachment of prostitution into our lives.