A Sex Worker's Vivid Story on What They Need"We Want Government to Recognize Sex Trade"
On Oct. 8, 2004, a 35-year-old woman cut her wrist with a sharp razor in her rented room in the red light district of the remote eastern coastal city of Donghae in Gangwon Province. The sex worker was lucky when she was found groaning by one of her fellow workers and taken to the hospital.
Barely conscious, she called for the withdrawal of the enforcement of the special law banning the sex trade, which put her out of a job that she has had for nearly 10 years. "Who the hell has the guts to lock up the hookers and enslave them these days?" she shouted.
Because of these new enforcements she feels a victim of the new law.
On the same day but earlier in the morning, a 29-year-old girl fell into a coma after she swallowed scores of sleeping pills in a suicide attempt. She was found groaning in her bed in a red light district called "Yellow House" in Sungui-dong, Jung-gu in Incheon. She left a letter complaining about the police crackdown on her profession.
Hard pressed financially by the enforcement of the new sex trade law, hundreds of thousands of sex workers around the nation are driven out of their job, while some others are opting for a drastic way out as seen in the above cases.
Thousands of prostitutes and pimps have poured onto the street to protest the law that came into force on Sept. 23, 2004.
While government, particularly the Ministry of Gender Equality (or Women's Ministry), argue that the strong enforcement of the anti-sex trade law can save sex workers from slavery, sex workers say that they are more victims of the law than recipients. One of the sex workers recently told a local daily, Chosun Ilbo, what she and her fellow workers want in regard to the police crackdown on their work places and the newly introduced anti-sex trade law. She met one of Chosun's reporters in a coffee shop in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province Oct. 13, 2004.
Wearing a black leather jacket and blue jeans with light makeup on her face and red hair while holding a puppy close to her chest, Ms. Kim Mun-Hee said, "I had to take her with me, cause she has nobody to take care of her." She represents sex workers in the Suwon area that are protesting the police crackdown.
She expressed her strong displeasure with the news media by saying that one of their representatives failed to appear on a TV program to voice their concerns due to an objection from one of the feminist groups. She argued that mass media is siding with government and do not give them the right to express themselves.
For the first time in her life on Oct. 7, 2004 she joined a protest rally. She moderated a protest rally held in Yeouido, which drew some 3,000 sex worker from around the country. She volunteered to lead sex workers of the Suwon area after her shop was closed by the new anti-sex trade law enforced on Sept. 23, 2004.
"I was angry because government did not ask us for our opinion and did this crackdown based on a survey of a few women who fell victim to sex slavery," she said. "Now we have no job and no place to go."
Born in a small town in Gangwon Province, she started the "oldest profession" at age 20. She was working at a "room salon," where customers are entertained with drinks and food and are assisted by "working girls" in a private room. She dropped out of high school after her father died of pneumonia.
Unable to pay for her tuition even with the help of her relatives she was forced into low paid employment. "I tried everything to get a job clothing shop clerk, bakery assistant, Japanese restaurant waitress, bowling house clerk, you name it." Yet, she was not able to get a stable job as a high school dropout.
At 20, she was urged to moved to Seoul by a friend. She always dreamed about living in a big city like Seoul. But getting a job in the big city is even more difficult for a high school dropout from the country side.
Her friend was working as a barmaid and sometimes had to sell her body to make ends meet.
"She lied to me that she was a company worker when she urged me to come to Seoul," she fumed. "At first I was not able to forgive my friend." It was a shock for her to find out that a close friend was a "working girl" in a room saloon.
"But, I changed my mind after I went to visit the room salon she was working," Kim said. "It was not as bad as I imagined."
Because of hunger and money, Kim followed suit.
"Back then I was penniless. I had to starve for the whole week because I could not afford to buy even a cup of ramyon (instant noodle)."
Things went from bad to worse. Her friend betrayed her. Kim was stranded on the streets because her friend took off with the security money for the apartment they rented. From then on and for nearly 10 years Kim went from one room salon to another across the country.
A group of sex workers with yellow cap and mask attending a protest rally against new sex trade law in Pyongtaek in Gyeonggi Province Oct. 11, 2004. They claimed that their livelihoods were threatened by the new law.
Courtesy Reuter/Newsis
"There were several chances I could have quit this profession," Kim said. "I tried my best to get a "white collar" job to no avail. But all the other jobs available to me were low-paying part-time jobs like restaurant server or sales clerk."
"I could not live on that money with those jobs. I could not even pay for my rent," Kim continued. "It was back then that I realized society is harsh for the uneducated like me,"
Two and a half years ago, Kim quit working at room salons for a full-time job as sex worker in a red light district in Seoul. There was a hiatus of about three months in between. "I had no income for the winter. I had to sell all of my personal belongings including valuables," Kim said "I had to make a big decision."
With all that in her life, Kim voluntarily walked into a red light district in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, a satellite city northwest of Seoul.
"At first I was worried" Kim thought it would be totally different from the ones she used to work at.
"When I was working at the room salons I did have to have sex with my customers except for the customer wanting a first round," She said. In room salons, "Second round" means to go with customers for sex and "first round" means customers only want to drink.
"On TV I watched so many terrifying scenes of prostitutes being locked up as sex slavers," Kim said. Contrary to her expectations, the owner of the brothel where Kim worked treated her as a family member.
"Above all she trusted me. She gave me 30-million won as an advance. When I wanted to move from there to Suwon she allowed me to do so." Kim paid back her advance (actually debt). "I felt really thankful to her."
In her place in Suwon, Kim was treated humanely. "When I was physically ill, she massaged me; often crying with me for our sorry situation."
"She knew that I was taking care of my old mother all by myself. She kept saying you gotta be healthy and let's make a lot of money."
Kim said that working at brothels is much easier than room salons. While in room salons she had to struggle with drunkards all the time; at brothels all she had to do is have sex with her customers.
"When I am feeling under the weather I don't have to work," Kim said "My owner (pimp) does not force me to do either, because she knew that they would have more to lose than gain."
The owner even allowed her to refuse her customers. "If I meet with a ill-mannered man on an unlucky day I just spring my body from him and leave him," Kim said.
Since she closed her shop on Sept. 22, 2004, both her pimp and her have made no money at all. Kim is worried about making a living and paying for her rent.
Asked about her savings Kim said, "Well, not much. But I do have some savings. I cannot use the money. It is for my dream." Her dream is to open a small clothing store so she can sell her own designed clothes and accessories. "But now it seems like there is no way of achieving my dream."
Kim said the Women's Ministry would support some women in protection facilities with a meager 100,000 won per month. It also promised to lend some funds for ex-sex trade workers who want to start a new business.
"But only a small number of candidates can apply for this and several strict strings are attached," Kim pitched her tone "Government is totally irresponsible. What are we going to do? "
Kim started to sob and even cry. While wiping her tears, Kim continued. "Let's say I receive some funds for starting my own business, the sum is too small for even renting a place. Plus, we have to pay back the loan within three years."
"It is obvious that we will become a debtor again," Kim said "Government estimates the number of sex workers at 330,000 but the actual number is much higher. How the hell government can afford the money?"
Kim criticized that government has no right to mention "protection of sex workers" while it really cannot shoulder the responsibility.
"On average, workers here send millions of won to home to support sick parents and needy brothers and sisters." Kim explained.
Kim herself send between 2 to 3 million to support her mother suffering from hypertension and arthritis back home. Her mother still does not know exactly what Kim does to make money, though she is aware that Kim works in a room salon.
Years ago, when Kim told her mother that she worked in a room salon, she fell to the ground. Firstly, she threatened to evict Kim from her family registration record but after several days on hospital bed she only said "Take care of yourself."
Like so many fellow "working girls" Kim wants government to allow and recognize "public brothels" and manage them in transparent ways.
Kim said many of her customers are mentally or physically handicapped people or ones with other problems, who are unable to have sex with girls in normal ways. These days many foreign migrants workers visit her as well.
"If government closes all the brothels where the hell do these people release their pent-up desire?" Kim argues that prostitution go underground if government keeps its crackdown, and it will infect the whole society with a variety of social diseases including AIDS.
Asked about her plan for marriage she said she is enjoying her life as a single.
When she was 26 she got a proposal from her boyfriend who she knew for four years. She thought about it for several days. "But my answer was a flat no," Kim thought that her marriage would have ended as a divorce in the end. "I do not want to see my family broken."
"I still think it was the right decision," Kim said "If I had married back then there would have been nobody to take care of my mother."
"I really enjoying working here," Kim said "I become proud of myself when my customers thank me." She said that many of her customers say they thank her because no other girls are willing to have sex with them."
At times Kim turns into a counselor as some customers visit her only because they need dialogue partner. The only thing she hates is "staring" from people. "We are humans as well," Kim added.
What's bad for sex-trade industry
is bad for business, too
by Wohn Dong-hee
JoongAng Daily
Oct. 14, 2004
The government's recent effort to eradicate prostitution has shut down red-light districts, and with them, parts of the economy not directly related to the sex trade.
Sex is a big business in Korea, generating 24 trillion won ($20.9 billion) or 4.1 percent of the gross domestic product, according to the government's criminal policy research center.
Since Sept. 23, the government has been enforcing the new anti-prostitution act by prosecuting men who hire prostitutes and their pimps.
Motels and public bath houses have been especially hard hit by the new law. "During the past three years, hotels, motels and other small lodgings borrowed 8.3 trillion won from banks, but only paid back 4 trillion won," Uri Party lawmaker Jeon Byung-heon reported in a National Assembly audit last week. "The sex trade law will further delay repayment of loans."
In Ulsan, the deeds to 30 motels were recently turned over to the court to be put up for auction. These lodgings are classified by the government for special management in money lending, making it difficult for these companies to extend their loans' due dates because they must receive approval from bank headquarters.
Banks are starting to realize that this could turn into a serious problem. Woori Bank is giving these type of companies more time to pay their debts, adding 1 percentage point to the original interest rate and waiving the penalty fee. Before, companies had to pay a fee of 10 percent of the amount owed if they wanted to extend the due date.
"We decided that this temporary measure is best in terms of our own risk management," an Woori official said. "For now, we will let companies off for a couple months until the end of this year, and decide then if we should give them more time."
For companies that had put up property as collateral, Hana Bank is giving them 10 years after the due date to pay back, with interest, the amount of debt that
exceeds the property's value.
"We are giving customers more time because among other factors, the bad economy has caused value of property put up for collateral to fall," Hana Bank said.
Other businesses, however, are on their own.
"Young ladies who worked in this area came every day to do their hair, so we have lost our main customers," said a beauty salon owner in Sinsa-dong, an upscale neighborhood famous for its hostess bars. " I have to think about what I should do about this."
Building owners are losing customers as well. "Many ladies have been unable to pay their monthly rent so the owners are taking the deposit money and throwing them out," said Kim Won-chul, a real estate agent in Nonhyeong-dong. "The number of empty one-room studios is increasing here in the Gangnam area."
Fewer customers at hostess bars means fewer alcohol sales. Diageo Korea said on Monday that its whiskey sales fell 20 to 30 percent after the law took effect. "Room salons and karaoke bars make up 80 percent of all domestic sales," said PR director Hong Jun. "We will focus on marketing that will encourage whiskey consumption at bars and at home, like in developed countries."
Jinro Ballantines and Lotte Chilsung also estimate sales have fallen at least 20 percent.
Not all businesses are suffering. Red-light districts already are being targeted for redevelopment, causing property values to increase. According to Doctor Apt., a real estate information agency, seven new apartment complexes in the Seoul metropolitan area that were near former red-light zones in Yongsan, Miari and Cheongnyangni will be put up for sale by the end of this year.
Those hoping that the government will ease up on prostitution will be disappointed.
"The government is very resolute about this crackdown," Minister of Gender Equality Chi Eun-hee said yesterday. It intends to reduce the sex trade industry to 66 percent of its current scale by 2007, she said.
South Korea targets sex trade, for now
By Andrew Salmon
International Herald Tribune
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
SEOUL As a one-month police crackdown on South Korea's multibillion-dollar sex industry draws to a close this week, most brothel districts in Seoul are deserted, but questions persist about what will happen once enforcement of a tough new anti-prostitution law eases up.
Although the law was passed in March, enforcement by the police began in earnest only on Sept. 22, yielding a sharp decline in business in Seoul's red-light districts and vociferous street protests over the last three weeks by workers in the sex trade, among them masked prostitutes and blind masseuses, who are angry over the law's threat to their livelihood.
The severity of the law, which calls for prison terms of up to 10 years for procurers and threatens clients of prostitutes with jail as well, has clearly dented the sex trade in a country where the sector rakes in $21 billion a year, or 4 percent of the gross domestic product, according to the Korean Institute of Criminology.
A report by the institute last year also found that 4.1 percent of women in their 20s - or 330,000 women - are in the trade, and that 20 percent of adult males purchase sex four times a month. The phenomenon affects not just South Korean women The U.S. State Department's 2004 Traffic in Persons report named South Korea a transit and destination point for Southeast Asian women.
Although prostitution has been illegal in South Korea since 1948, the sector has been largely tolerated.
Things changed two years ago.
"In January 2002, 14 women died in a brothel fire," recalled Representative Yoo Seung Hee, a member of the National Assembly's committee on women's affairs. "Since then, women's rights groups have called for a fundamental solution to this problem."
After feminist pressure, the new anti-prostitution bill was ushered in with the monthlong clampdown, which ends on Friday.
The law, which is clearly aimed at brothel owners, calls for 10 years in jail or fines of 100 million won, about $87,000, for pimps, and a year in jail or a fine of 3 million won for customers of prostitutes. The law also frees prostitutes of debts to pimps and encourages them to report the men; previously, the women would also have been punishable for engaging in the sex trade.
The reasoning behind the measure, Yoo said in an interview, was, "If we cut demand, we can cut supply."
Normally, in Seoul's red-light zones like Cheongyangni and Miari Texas, prostitutes can be seen openly soliciting behind glass doors in pink-lit alcoves. But on a recent weeknight, Cheongyangni's maze of alleys was dark and silent.
The only people visible were three-man police squads posted at intersections and patrolling the streets.
In the first two weeks of the crackdown, the police reported 468 arrests nationwide.
But enforcement of the law has also sparked angry showdowns between women in favor of the law and those against it. When the crackdown began, fistfights were reported between prostitutes and women activists. In the largest demonstration, outside the National Assembly on Oct. 6, some 2,800 prostitutes, their faces covered by masks, sat holding signs demanding the right to earn a living. Clearly, though, it was orchestrated by brothel owners On the fringes of the rally, large men with spiky haircuts were visibly organizing the women.
Some in the industry defend the trade. "I think wives' associations are behind the crackdown," said Park Song Bok, 49, who manages a bar in the red-light district of Itaewon and has been in the industry for more than 20 years. "But what about single guys?" she said. "And married men always hide some money to pay for it."
The trade does not stop at the big red-light districts. Sex is also on offer at certain "barbershops," coffee shops with "take out" services, "sports massage parlors," and corporate entertainment outlets where businessmen drink expensive whiskey in the company of "waitresses."
At least one zone has practically escaped the crackdown "Hooker Hill" in Itaewon, Seoul's expatriate district.
Up a steep, 50-meter, or 160-foot, alley and its surrounding side streets, outside bars with names like "Nymph," "Venus" and "Starbutts," ladies of the night and a smattering of transsexuals continued to ply their trade after the crackdown began. But there was no joy and little life; more than half the bars were shut.
Meanwhile, Itaewon's traditional clientele - soldiers from the nearby U.S. 8th Army base, headquarters of the 33,000 troops in Korea - also face issues.
The U.S. Department of Defense, citing human trafficking concerns, is currently considering regulations that would court-martial troops soliciting prostitutes. General Leon LaPorte, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, testified before Congress on Sept. 21 on efforts by his command to prevent troops from visiting prostitutes. Some 600 establishments nationwide are off-limits to soldiers, said a U.S. forces spokesperson.
There is also the security angle. "Ever since Sept. 11, when they instituted troop curfews, it's never been the same up there," said a barman in an Itaewon pub.
With U.S. forces preparing to pull out of their Seoul base by 2007, the prospects for Itaewon are uncertain.
As for the rest of the country, whether the crackdown will yield long-term results is far from certain. Although the law will remain, police resources devoted to patrols and raids will be scaled back beginning Oct. 22. "Considering the issue and our capabilities, we thought one month an appropriate period for the crackdown," said a police spokesperson.
A previous clampdown in Miari, in 2001, had no lasting effect; the police chief, a woman, eventually called for state-regulated prostitution.