By Hopefully none of you all reading this get any ideas:
A local high court found a 46-year-old man not guilty of having sex with a runaway teenage girl, saying their liaison was neither forced nor in exchange for money.
The Busan District Court Wednesday upheld a lower court ruling that acquitted the man, identified as Kim, of charges related to the violation of the law covering the protection of minors.
Kim bought food for the 16-year-old girl, who was wandering near Seoul Station, and allowed her to stay at his home in December 2006. He was indicted for having sex with her while the two lived together for about six months.
“The girl had already been homeless for about two years before meeting Kim, and he did not control her after offering his house as a shelter to her request. So we don’t acknowledge the prosecution’s claim that Kim made the minor (engage in sexual activity) away from her parents’ protection,’’ the court said. [Korea Times via Brian in Jeollanam-do]
The age of consent in Korea being at 13 is incredibly low, than again Hawaii’s age of consent used to be 14 years old.
This case caused me to think back to a prior posting about Korean sailors having sex with young teenagers on the small island nation of Kiribati. According to the Korea Times article from that story, the age of consent in Korea is 19. Maybe the article is referring to the age of consent meaning that women can sell themselves for sex at age 19?
4:33 pm on July 5th, 2009 1
I found the global World Cup of Consent chart out of curiosity.
http://www.ageofconsent.com/ageofconsent.htm
Korea's 13 is tied with Spain and Nigeria yet still comes ahead of Mexico, Chile, and Paraguay where the consenting kids are not even officially "teens" (12).
Next up a notch at 14 are China, Canada, Italy and Austria.
World's highest age of consent is Tunisia at 20.
5:22 pm on July 5th, 2009 2
"The age of consent in Korea being at 13 is incredibly low"
Just a guess… but I bet there is an "age of consent" and there is an "Age of Consent"…
…meaning if you are a pot-smoking English teacher with a fake degree or your are one of those criminal GI animals… and you meet your 14 year-old girlfriend… well… let me know how that works out for you.
4:55 pm on July 6th, 2009 3
The legal age of consent is 13, meaning anything younger then that is statutory rape. But there are other laws on the books to "protect children" that can be applied to any girl under the age of 19.
Specifically the ones covering exchanging money / gifts for sex. The relationship cannot be commercial in nature. Also the man can not "take advantage" of the girls "immaturity" to trick her into sex. Some can / may argue that the immaturity one applies all the time, but its usually decided on a case-by-case basis. Also how much the girls parents convince her to say "he tricked me" plays a part. Safest method is to simply not get involved with the girls to begin with.
Whether the 13 is too low is a debate for the Koreans themselves to have. We all know what went on back when we were in that 13-16 year range, everyone one high school was "getting it on". Teenage sex is a problem the Koreans will never admit too.
7:46 am on July 7th, 2009 4
You are of course forgetting Iran which allows the marriage of kids older than 9. It's a Muhammed thing….
2:52 am on August 6th, 2010 5
To those foreigners who are disturbed by what they consider to be low age of consent laws in other countries, I advise them not to travel to those countries and mind their own business.
3:43 am on August 6th, 2010 6
Glad he got off—-
8:59 am on August 6th, 2010 7
13??? When I was stationed in Korea I never tapped anyone unless they appeared to be 19 or 20 just to be safe. I didn't know their age of consent was so low. I believe that in most states here in the US the age of consent is 16. What I don't understand is that if an American citizen travels to a foreign country and has sex with a 16 or 17 year old person that they can be prosecuted under American law even if the age of consent in that country is 16. If that same person had sex with a 16 year old in the US then it would be ok. I know that some state laws have restrictions on how much older that you can be to have sex with a 16 or 17 yo, when my son was a teenager I told him that you better know & follow the law & think with the head on your shoulders, not the other one.
9:19 am on August 6th, 2010 8
"John Adams" up there in #5 needs to spend some time in prison.
8:00 am on January 31st, 2011 9
I don't believe that South Korea's "age of consent" is the business of outsiders. A country is free to establish any "age of consent" that it wishes. Indeed it's free not to have an "age of consent." Therefore, the question as to whether or not South Korea's "age of consent" is too low is ridiculous when coming from outsiders.
8:03 am on January 31st, 2011 10
Vince in #8 up there is a fascist. I'll express my opinions freely despite Vince's attempt to intimidate me.
8:30 am on January 31st, 2011 11
Agree with John Adams #10. Freedom to express your opinion is vital. Popular or not.
Also to #9, I must also agree. Not other (our) countries business.
Many of you here have seen 16 year olds that looked 21. You just didn't know it.
(that's why I always ask for ID)
8:39 am on January 31st, 2011 12
Related (at least in my mind) The religious people were SO happy in 1991 when the US military left the Philippines. No more prostitution. (they thought)
Untill the single mothers could not feed their kids.
The guy in the article gave her a place to live and food to eat. Her family did not.
Court found him innocent of having sex with her, or did I miss something. Even if he did, what would/did happen to her while on the street? You damn well know.
11:19 am on January 31st, 2011 13
Facsist for objecting to adult men porking children? Fine- I'm a fascist then.
I guess you're champions of freedom.
Sickening. Using children to get your nut. Between two adults- none of my business. But abuse of children is another thing completely.
2:04 pm on January 31st, 2011 14
Vince, your rage is amusing. Born of one who has not seen the real horrors of the world.
People got to eat.
How do you feel about a father getting money from a Bar to send his son to college. In return for the loan, his teen daughter works in the bar. Then the daughter gets bored with the empty room and the Korean woman that runs the joint buys her what she wants and tacks it on her Bill. Then tells her she can pay the loan off quicker if she starts hooking.
Or housing third world women twenty or more to a room and taking their passports and giving them one day off a month. (same duties)
Or a country where most 18 yo females have no future (PI). They can't wait to go and work the bars and have some money.
You are a fascist FOR being an enemy of the First Amendment. PERIOD.
It is easy for you to spill your self righteous indignation. Just type it out.
But you DIDN'T feed her. You DIDN'T give her a roof and place to sleep. Just because YOU would have taken advantage of her, doesn't mean he did.
I've seen Korean men beat the crap out of their women in the middle of the street in the day light. None of the Koreans helped her. I helped her out of the street.
Koreans didn't.
I've seen young (age unknown) Korean women beat down and kick an older Korean woman for unknown reasons standing beside me. Yes, I pulled one off and another GI pulled the other off. The one I pulled off started to come at me until I pulled back my fist. (yes, I have no problem hitting a female if she leaves me no option)
As for a 16yo being a child, maybe in you sweet kind place in the sun, but not every where. They are armed to the teeth and have a body count in some areas. Do you really think their sisters are sitting at home and playing with dolls?
You sicken me in your naive thinking and desire to deny people of their Freedom of Speech.
You're one of those guys that would not have been concerned about a homeless girl. But you're more than happy to throw dirt on the Man that did help her.
Yes, you sicken me. You do indeed, sicken me.
Two years on the street and legal age in Korea, does not a child make.
There are 31 states in America where 16 is old enough to give consent. Which means they are deemed competent to make decisions of an adult nature.
Wow, right?
http://www.ageofconsent.us/
3:24 pm on January 31st, 2011 15
Oh- Now I get it. You didn't create the problem, but you'll go ahead and jump in with both feet. And put your junk in a little girl.
Rage? No. Not at all. Revulsion? Hell yeah- I am stunned that people who consider themselves civilised would bang children.
Life sucks. Got it. But you don't have to add to the suck factor.
If you want to nail some chick, is nailing an ADULT chick too much to expect from an adult?
Jeebus— just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.
That's MY first amendment right, too.
3:28 pm on January 31st, 2011 16
Oh- another thing- don't for a second think that I haven't helped out those in need. I just managed to do it with my dcik IN my pants. And there was no "quid pro quo". Sometimes you do the right thing because it's the right thing.
As for 16 being the age of consent- Did I say anyone should go to JAIL?
I hope you aren't so much sickened by me as you are afraid of me. But if you are sickened by me, that's fine. People like you repulse me.
3:31 pm on January 31st, 2011 17
If John Adams is intimidated by an internet persona, no wonder he likes banging kids- it's about wielding power for him.
Seen this before more than once. Usually resulted in an apprehension and prosecution. And victims.
But that's OK– it's all about gratification at someone elses' expense- HEY- you didn't CREATE the world's problems. Might as well join in the fun!
1:50 am on February 1st, 2011 18
#16 "did I say anyone should go to jail?"
YES, you did, and for giving an opinion no less. COMMENT #8
People like me? And what do you know about me? I defended John Adams right to speak freely. What else do you know? I protected one woman, and helped another out of the street when she had been beaten by her man. What else do you know about me? That I looked up the age of consent in the states and found 16 to be LEGAL AGE in 31 states. What else do you know about me?
#17 Now you're just trying to make yourself feel better.
"it's about wielding power for him." No it isn't. You think females are such victims. I give them more credit than you do. Females use sex as a weapon and they learn early. She was on the street for TWO YEARS. If you think she had not learned by that time, I feel sorry for you. More likely she was using sex to secure a place to live. But you likely don't think she is that intelligent. I give her more credit for intelligence that you do.
Basically you don't think much of a 16yo female giving her legal consent under the law. That may be why you call her a child. She would likely laugh at you if she knew. Then she would put on her make-up and some revealing clothes, place her hands on her hips, give you a grin and taunt you by asking if she looked like a child to you. Then laugh in your face.
"Gratification at someone else's expense", Yea HIS expense. He payed for the food and shelter. With naive bleeding hearts around like you, he almost lost his freedom — for feeding and providing shelter to a homeless person. She didn't want to leave. So that tells me that she was intelligent enough to know when she had a good deal going.
Six MONTHS. You don't keep someone around for that long for mere sex. Not in Korea — the land of the red-light at every subway stop. Something tells me she was doing other things to earn her keep. Maybe cooking and cleaning. All to secure a roof over her head. Something her parents had not done.
"Seen this before more than once." How do you manage to do that. You have a "special interest"?
"Usually resulted in an apprehension and prosecution." How would that be possible when they are of LEGAL AGE?
"And victims." Oh, VICTIMS. Like the guy in the story who almost lost his freedom? For feeding and providing shelter to a homeless street person. For SIX MONTHS. Like I said, you don't keep a female around for that long for mere sex. Got to be something else to it. Not that you would even imagine something like that.
After all, she doesn't have the ability to REASON for another two years, right? Or for you maybe another five years?
I guarantee you that she had the ability to reason out that she had a good deal going on and didn't want it to end until she found a BETTER deal. That is just being logical on her part.
"Might as well join in the fun!" I fail to see anyone having "fun". She had a need. He had a solution. She took advantage of the situation. That only makes good sense. She likely didn't have to think about it twice either. I don't blame her.
And to repeat the verdict: He was found INNOCENT. But that means nothing to you. You know better. Yea, right.
You would have been right there at the Salem Witch Trails screaming — "BURN HER — BURN THE WITCH!"
Speaking of the LAW, a 16yo is NOT a child in those 31 states nor in Korea. But you love to say the word. Gives you a feeling of being righteous I assume. But also points out that you don't care about what the Law says.
In summation: you don't care about the law. You don't care about freedom of speech. You believe that no person under the age of 21 has the ability to think and reason — if they are female. You pass judgment without facts. You think sex is the only possible reason a man would allow a homeless female to stay in his home for six months. You think men are evil.
Perhaps you are a bitter divorced woman. That's what it sounds like to me. Who lost her husband to a YOUNG woman too.
6:21 am on February 1st, 2011 19
#18, you beat me to it…
7:09 am on February 1st, 2011 20
Why are you so angry? I just think it's SICK for someone to want to have sex with a child. I view people under the age of 18 as children- even when they don't act like it, even when they are doing things children or adults shouldn't do.
When did I object to anyone's free speech? I didn't. You said your piece.
Anyone who (intentionally) gets off on dipping his wick in underage kids should spend time in prison. That comment was for "John Adams", not for the guy who was found not guilty. Yeah- There are some kids who are 14 to 16 going on 35 out there- but there are people who really like those kinds of "kids" too. That's just creepy.
Again, that's my free speech. If that offends you, so be it. Continuing a cycle of abuse and partaking in the same is kinda offensive to me.
10:58 am on February 1st, 2011 21
There are two things that really piss me off. Liars and stupidity. Which means I pretty much stay pissed off.
You fall into the second area. I KNOW the comment was meant for "john adams". That is way you fall in the second area. You would jail a man for stating his opinion. Free Speech means nothing to you. Not sure about you, but I'm not living in a Communist Country yet. Not yet.
You refuse to admit that you and the LAW do not agree. You can't admit that under the law a 16yo IS an adult.
Let me tell you what I think is "creepy". When I see a couple and the guy is REALLY tall and the girl is REALLY short. That creeps me out. I don't care about their age.
Any man that enjoys being with a female who is only tall enough to put her head against his lower breast bone, I just don't understand.
He obviously has Pedophile Tendencies. (and she has daddy issues)
Now THAT is indeed "creepy".
Your free speech doesn't offend me. You are free to express your lack of understand of the LAW. Just as I am free to explain how wrong I believe you are.
(I don't get offended.) (angry-mad-displeased-even-sad, but never offended)
Just isn't manly.
7:56 pm on February 13th, 2011 22
10 to 1 that "Vince" is a bible thumper who f***** teenagers (of either sex) in the basement of the church where he teaches Sunday school classes.
8:30 pm on February 13th, 2011 23
Fine. I don't agree with a law. There's plenty of laws I don't agree with, but I have to abide by them. So I do.
If guy in the story was found not guilty, fine- he's not guilty. If he was banging a teenager, and he's an old guy, that's just creepy- to me. Maybe some of you like that kind of thing. I also don't like fingernails on chalkboards, snakes, etc.
It's one of those first amendment right of association deals- that's where he and I part company, even if we had agreed on everything up to that point, the fact that some 60 something guy likes poking teenagers is just plain something I don't like. This question is not unlike the DADT thing- you are expecting me to ACCEPT his behavior. Tolerate it- not my business to tell him (or whomever is deemed legally of age) what to do- I don't have a choice. Accept it- that's a whole 'nother deal.
The tall/short thing is kinda weird, but to each his own, provided that the short one isn't a kid- in the legal sense. Which takes me to the next point for those who like that age of consent young– where do you draw that line?
If the line in one locale is too high for you, say, 14, do you go somewhere where it is 12? That's the kind of sick stuff I am referring to- because guys like that are the kind of guys like that NBC reporter sets up to catch on national TV. Yeah– They've NEVER done anything like this before! You were just going to TALK to the kid, even though you brought alcohol and condoms…
Just sayin', GI…
9:07 pm on February 13th, 2011 24
If I was going to meet an underage girl, I would certainly bring alcohol and condoms. Otherwise, what the hell is there to do?
I bet I would get bored pushing her around on her tricycle within minutes.