South Korean police arrest 1,666 in major prostitution crackdown

The Korean National Police Agency has announced the results of a two-month special crackdown on prostitution, resulting in the arrest of 1,666 individuals across 761 cases between June and July. This represents a 24% increase in detected cases and a 61% increase in arrests compared to the same period last year.

The operation focused on dismantling organized, corporate-style prostitution networks. Notable busts included a massive 800-pyeong entertainment establishment in Gangnam that used Telegram to recruit 1,400 members, and an operation in Jeju targeting Chinese tourists via WeChat. Police also uncovered cases of human trafficking where foreign women were detained and coerced into prostitution after having their passports seized.

In addition to arrests, authorities have taken significant steps to seize criminal proceeds. Pre-indictment forfeiture and collection orders were applied to 19.5 billion won in illegal profits, a fourfold increase from the previous year. The agency has also blocked 11 prostitution websites, reported 70 billion won in tax-related data to the National Tax Service, and booked 25 property owners for providing illegal business premises.