South Korean police said Thursday they cracked down on 95 prostitution and other illicit establishments in Seoul in the first quarter, including venues that allegedly marketed sex services to foreign tourists through online platforms.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said 170 people, including business operators, were apprehended in the sweep, up 49 percent from a year earlier.
Authorities seized 28.9 million won ($19,000) in proceeds and 66 beds used in the operations.
In one particular case, police raided a large venue in southern Seoul on March 26 -- a basement-to-four-story building in the Gangnam area -- and booked 10 individuals on charges of arranging prostitution. Officers confiscated 40 beds and 13.55 million won in suspected earnings.
The establishment had allegedly been in use for more than two decades in the same building, changing operators to evade repeated crackdowns. Investigators said it had recently set up a dedicated website to attract foreign tourists.
Police also dismantled five other large venues near schools that had operated for decades, arresting 22 suspects and seizing 26 beds.
Among the businesses uncovered in the latest crackdown, one has completed closure procedures while the others have effectively halted operations.
Authorities said they are working with local governments to prevent them from reopening, including pursuing formal shutdown measures.
Separately, police conducted a joint operation with the Korea Game Rating and Administration Committee and immigration authorities targeting illegal gambling rooms in the Daerim-dong area of Yeongdeungpo-gu and Garibong-dong in Guro-gu.
Some 12 venues were found to have violated regulations by charging for games labeled as free, altering gaming machines or engaging in illegal cash exchanges. Fifteen people were apprehended, with 177 machines and 14.9 million won in cash seized.
Police said they plan to expand enforcement against prostitution and gambling-related activities, including seeking penalties against landlords who allow illegal operations and pursuing the recovery of criminal proceeds, while coordinating with relevant agencies to strengthen administrative sanctions.
hnpark@heraldcorp.com
