Teenage Prostitute Problems in Pusan
UPDATE: In response to my below question concerning teenage prostitution in Korea, the Metropolitician has in fact confirmed this problem:
I’m not saying the United States or any other country in the world has a monopoly on morality. What I am saying is that there seems to have been a disconnect somewhere in the rush for development in this country that has fostered the message that development and “getting ahead” is important enough to get there by any means necessary. This mentality is what leads to “education fever” that convinces healthy 18 year-olds to take flying leaps off buildings if they fail an exam, or the statistic that 1 in 4 high school girls has exchanged sex for money or favors in some form (in one study done by a Korean researcher for a paper on sex in cyberspace).
If it seems high, let me tell you that after having worked in Korean public, private, and especially alternative schools – this number seems to reflect reality, believe it or not. There’s even a name for the concept of underage female girls having sex for “compensation” – wonjo kyoje (ì›ì¡°êµì œ) – which may give you a sense of how everyday such acts are. I’m not saying everyone’s doing it – I’m just saying that it’s not unusual. Not a social problem you hear about in the oft-described “liberal” or “morally corrupt” United States. Ah, right – Korea’s is a “family-oriented” society.
Read the rest of the post for some more interesting insights into this issue.
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This from the Korea Times, is kind of disgusting:
About 20 percent of teenage prostitutes in the southeastern port city of Pusan began working in the industry when they were under 14 just for money, according to a survey.
The Pusan Metropolitan Police Agency Friday released the survey of 85 teenagers and 157 men who were caught engaging in the sex trade in the city last year.
Police said that 44.7 percent of the underage prostitutes sold sex to make money to cover entertainment costs like social gatherings.
About 31, or 36 percent of them said they sold sex for a living, indicating their motivation in turning to prostitution.
Who are these people willing to buy sex from 14 year olds?:
Police said that prostitutes are getting younger as adults are luring vulnerable teenagers into the sex trade with promises of money.
About 47 percent, or 40 teenage sex workers, received 100,000-150,000 won for a prostitution job.
Some 21 percent, or 18 teenagers, took 60,000-100,000 won, while 16.5 percent earned less than 50,000 won.
Among the 157 men who bought sex from girls, office workers accounted for 30.6 percent, followed by independent business owners with 22.9 percent.
Does anyone know if teenage prostitution in Korea is as bad as this article makes it out to be?
