History of prostitutes in Korea

Why the women who talked about "Oppa Let's play" disappeared?

During the Japanese colonial period, Japan has established a system of prostitutes in Korea. However, after the liberation of Korea, the US military abolished Japan's prostitute system on May 17, 1946. The reason is that, from the viewpoint of the U.S. Military Government, prostitution in an individual's freedom, and management by the state is seen as a violation of individual freedom. 

Then, on June 25, 1950, the war between North Korea and South Korea broke out, and prostitution began near Cheonglyangli station, which was the terminus of the Gyeongwon Railway heading to Cheorwon and Hwacheon. This is the beginning of 청량리 588 Cheongnyangni 588. 

In 1968, the city of Seoul forcibly demolished the brothel inside Seodaemun Gate, and prostitutes from Jong-ro flowed into Cheonglyngli, and the scale of the brothel grew. 

With the 1988 Seoul Olympics as an opportunity, a major overhaul was started to improve the aesthetics of the brothel, and the familiar form of a show window was prepared.

In 1968, the city of Seoul forcibly demolished the brothel inside Seodaemun Gate, and prostitutes from Jong-ro flowed into Cheonglyngli, and the scale of the brothel grew. 

According to the results of a survey conducted by YWCA in 1988, the number of women working there was about 6,000 but it was estimated that the actual number was about 120,000. The transaction amount was about 770 billion won in 1988, and it is said that it reached 1.6 trillion won in 1992. 

At that time, pimps made a lot of money by hiring women, and they did everything they could to find a women to work for. Because of that, rumors circulated that pimps kidnapped women from vans and forced them to work, but only a small fraction of them, and most of them were women who came voluntarily.

The Korea women's Development Institute announced the results of a survey of 4,653 women between the ages of 14 to 58 who worked here. 

High school graduates, middle school graduates, and unmarried women were the most common, and the motive and purpose of prostitution was to earn money(60.5%) the most. Their hopes for the future were independence (64.4%) and marriage (25.3%) the most. The highest proportion was 32.6% asking the government to apply it as a job that is legally recognized, 26.3% asking for self governing system, and 25.9% saying not to interfere.

Thus, the area enjoyed a boom, but in 2004, during the Rho Moo-Hyun administration, the Special Prevention of Prostitution Act was enforced, and in 2012, it was confirmed as a redevelopment area, and they slowly left. Right before it was demolished, pimps and prostitutes were operating, but most of the pimps and prostitutes moved their workplaces to officetels(dual-purpose buildings used for commercial and residential purpose)and apartment. 

"오빠! 놀다가 Oppa! Let's play" The voice of solicitation has disappeared and this place is also buried in history. Although the disappearance of the brothel was the desired outcome of the women's group, the prostitution in Korea became more negative and darkened. 

[references]

Eun-Kyung Kim, Current State of Prostitution in Korea and Criminal Law Countermeasures , Prostitution: A Model of New Legal Measures Color, Book Publishing Human Thought, 2004. Byun Byun, Trends of International Organizations Related to Prostitution and Laws of Each Country , Academic Conference on Women Victims of Prostitution, Seoul National University Public Interest Human Rights Law Research Center, 2003. Jun-Beom Lee, Opinion on Legalization of Prostitution , Seoul National University BK21 Law Research Center Public Interest Human Rights Act Center 2002 4th Seminar Presentation Material, 2002. Ho-Joong Lee, A Critical Study on the Prostitution Prevention Act, Criminal Policy, Vol. 14, No. 2, 2002. Homeland, Perspectives on Prostitution and Legal Measures , Criminal Policy, Vol. 15 No. 2, 2003. Ha Joo-young, is prostitution a crime? , Times and Philosophy, Vol. 13, No. 2, Korean Philosophical and Thought Research Society, 2002. Korea Criminal Policy Research Institute, Scale and Status of Prostitution in Korea, 2003.