By Just further evidence that debunks the claim that USFK is responsible for prostitution in Korea:
The sex trade in Korea was estimated to amount to 14 trillion won last year, roughly 1.6 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product.
The Korean Women’s Development Institute, commissioned by the Ministry of Gender Equality, yesterday released a report on the sex trade last year.
“The official figures of the sex trade dropped compared to 2002 thanks to continued crackdown on prostitution,” said Byun Hwa-soon, a researcher at the think tank.
“But we cannot deny that new forms of prostitution and overseas sex tourism, which domestic authorities cannot police, have increased.”
More than 46,000 brothels and disguised sex-service businesses disguised were identified last year, down 23 percent from 2002, according to the report.
The number of prostitutes dropped by 18 percent to 269,000 during the same period. The sex trade involved some 94 million transactions in Korea last year, down from 170 million in 2002.
The amount of money traded for prostitution was over 14 trillion won, much less than 24 trillion won in 2002.
About 21.4 percent of the transactions were made in businesses claiming to be bars, karaoke clubs, massage parlors, barber shops or other businesses. [Korea Herald]
Robert Koehler adds some perspective on how large a number this 14 trillion won in prostitution every year is:
Marmot’s Note: Need more reason for South Korea to take responsibility for its own defense? OK, how’s this:
Money spent on whoring in 2007: 14.952 trillion won
ROK defense budget for 2008: 26.7 trillion won
To further add perspective the amount of money made in prostitution rivals that made by the Korean agriculture industry. Such facts only further shows how sensational past Korean media headlines of worsening sex trade outside USFK military facilities are compared to the overall level of prostitution that goes on in Korea.
7:08 am on September 20th, 2008 1
[...] Comments Korean Prostitution Tops 14 Trillion Won A Year on 14 Trillion WonKorean Prostitution Tops 14 Trillion Won A Year on 14 Trillion Woncm on I Guess the Interracial Thing Doesn’t Go Down Too Well in the States, [...]
11:03 am on September 20th, 2008 2
Damn, GI Korea…I was just drinking my morning coffee when that coyote-ugly skank’s pic popped up. Ha!
As I said before…legalize it, tax it, require medical check ups, etc. and get it out of the hands of organized crime.
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2:24 pm on September 20th, 2008 3
What’s everyone gripping about. It used to be a much higher portion of the GDP. The police are doing their jobs in combatting prostitution. All Koreans should be proud of the great job they are doing. (TONGUE IN CHEEK TOO THE MAX).
These figures actually reflect that there is a drop in prostitution estimates in recent years — but this is because it has now gone underground. The report needs to estimate how big the underground prostitution market is — and then add them to the current figures to become credible. As it is, the report is just toilet paper.
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4:43 pm on September 20th, 2008 4
GI, you’re cruel to keep recycling that photo.
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8:51 pm on September 20th, 2008 5
OK, but here’s the thing — does anybody actually say USFK is responsible for prostitution in Korea anymore? There have been tons of articles on the police’s latest war on prostitution, and I can’t recall any of them even mentioning USFK.
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10:59 pm on September 20th, 2008 6
Dude that photo sucks! Those women went through that “UGLY MACHINE” in Itaewon. I have seen it. Walk in at 20 years old and walk out at 40 year as an old nasty toothless ugly snatch. The only way you gonna do thos HOS is with yer Korean Soju Goggles that almost all Korean men seem to wear….hahahahahah
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4:39 am on September 21st, 2008 7
I see AFN is now using “Glass House’ photos to tell about the evils of prostitution on their mosquito brain commercials.
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8:56 am on September 21st, 2008 8
Dude, nice work on that photo. I’ve tired several times to get a good photo of such, and have failed every time, to the point of being chased and harassed in the street by the Ajuma’s. I must ask, did you use a decoy to distract the ladies?
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11:16 am on September 21st, 2008 9
Sonagi just think, those actually are some of the better looking prostitutes that can be seen in places like Hooker Hill.
Billy I cannot take credit for the photo. Click the link above the photo to see wear it came from.
Robert in general the criticism of USFK over prostitution in Korea has decreased in recent years compared to just a few years ago when report like this from TIME magazine were common place in the media:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,501020812-333899,00.html
However, feminist groups and the Korean media still drop articles including one this year titled “Sex Trade Worsens in US Camp Towns”:
http://rokdrop.com/2008/01/25/sex-trade-worsens-in-us-camp-towns/
USFK crackdown on human trafficking in the soldier villes has actually greatly decreased the amount of prostitution going there compared to just a few years ago before USFK put all the emphasis on combating human trafficking.
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2:33 pm on September 22nd, 2008 10
[...] GI at ROK Drop is also commenting. [...]
5:52 pm on September 22nd, 2008 11
This can’t be the fault of Koreans, they’re so pure. Not to mention honest. Why, a Korean man would never cheat on his wife with a hooker?
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