A 32-year-old man was given a six-month prison term in a rare ruling against patronizing underage prostitution.
The man, identified by his surname Choi, saw an advertisement for “Conditional hook-up, 18 years-old” in a smartphone chatting application, last September.
This is a stock image. (123RF)
He contacted and met the girl that same day at a motel in Dongnae-gu, Busan, and paid her 300,000 won ($254) for intercourse.
The girl turned out to be 15 years old.
The Busan Eastern District Court gave the man a six-month prison term and a rehabilitation program of 40 hours for violation of the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles Against Sexual Abuse.
The judge who presided over the case said, “Underage prostitution severely distorts the sexual identity of minors and degrades sex as tradable merchandise.”
“As an adult, Choi had the responsibility to protect the young. Sexual abuse experienced during adolescence can cause the memory to influence the next generation. Therefore, a stern punishment is necessary to cut out the demand for underage prostitution.”
This ruling was viewed as comparatively harsh, as previous cases of prostitution saw male patrons punished with suspended sentences of fines.
Prostitution is illegal in Korea.
By Lim Jeong-yeo (
kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)