The number of individuals apprehended by police crackdowns on prostitution has plummeted to one-tenth of its peak over a 14-year period, according to a recent research finding.
Chang Da-hye, a senior research fellow at the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice, made the assertion during a policy seminar hosted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on the morning of September 18.
According to Senior Researcher Chang, the number of individuals caught in police crackdowns on prostitution—which began following the enforcement of the Special Act on Prostitution in 2004—peaked at 71,953 in 2009 before showing a downward trend, dropping to 6,888 by 2023.
Chang argued that this trend is likely driven by a decrease in the scale and frequency of police crackdowns rather than a contraction of the prostitution industry itself.
She explained, "Frontline police stations typically have only one staff member assigned to prostitution. Due to heavy workloads in public morals enforcement beyond prostitution and the difficulties inherent in cracking down on prostitution, these officers tend to transfer to other departments after a year."
In particular, the proportion of women among those apprehended has increased significantly, raising criticisms that individuals engaged in prostitution, rather than brokers and purchasers, are becoming the primary targets of enforcement.
Looking at the gender composition of those apprehended, the proportion of women rose from 18.6% in 2009 to 33.9% in 2024.
Among minors, the proportion of females approached 70% to 90%.
Regarding the judicial processing status of prostitution offenders, the proportion of imprisonment sentences rose from 5.1% in 2005 to 16.5% in 2024, while the proportion of monetary penalties decreased from 38.4% to 26.0% over the same period, indicating a trend toward stricter sentencing.
Senior Researcher Chang also argued that while protection and support policies for victims of prostitution have expanded, gaps still remain.
According to a survey on factors hindering exiting prostitution conducted by the National Alliance for the Resolution of the Prostitution Problem in July 2024, 96.4% of respondents answered that they "have thought about wanting to quit prostitution," while 45.4% reported that they "returned to prostitution after stopping."
Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Na Hong-hee | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
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