[Cover talks]1% of the Korean female population are engaged in prostitution？
According to the prostitution factual investigation by the Korean Ministry of Gender Equality and Family,
the women who engaged in prostitution business in Korea are approximately 270,000.
And it reached approximately 1.07% of women population. (According to the Korean statistics agency, Korean women population is 25,087,000 in 2013.)
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The ground of "270,000" is from the prostitution factual investigation by the Ministry in 2007.
In those days, the Ministry estimated that 3,644 women worked at the brothel, 147,000 as secondary business (e.g. bar) and 118,000 by Internet or other methods.
According to the prostitution factual investigation in 2010, the Ministry estimated the number of the prostitution women is approximately 142,000.
But this investigation did not include Internet prostitution, various type of prostitution and prostitution in foreign countries.
How about other countries? In Europe that have a tendency of the legalization of the prostitution, you can find relatively detailed statistics documents.
TAMPEP is the international organization that supports the health and human rights of migrant sex workers in Europe and receives the supports of European Union (EU).
It announces the number of the prostitution workers of the EU major countries in 2009.
Korean Ministry added up "prostitution women", but TAMPEP included man and the transgendered individuals too, unlike Korea.
There may be more
According to this investigation, it is Germany to be the highest in the ratio of prostitution workers in Europe.
In Germany, approximately 400,000 people engage in prostitution, and this is equivalent to 0.49% of total population.
The ratio of the prostitution workers in U. K. or Italy or France where the brothel is prohibited but personal prostitution is legalized is 0.045-0.127% of the population.
The prostitution workers ratio in Sweden or Norway where buying sex is prohibited is approximately 0.007-0.066% .
Prostitution researchers and anti-prostitution group activists say that the number of “270, 000” may not be correct and it may be really bigger than that.
Lee Na-yong, the professor of Central University said, “because Korea does not register the prostitution suppliers legally, it is difficult to see the perfect documents. There may be more.”
The professor pointed out that culture that considers prostitution as reasonable was born in a process of Korean modern and current history.
He said, “the Korean modern prostitution originated in the registered prostitute system Japan made, and this was connected that in the US base village.
In the military regime, Korean government consented tacitly to Kisaeng sightseeing, and it played a role as the pimp virtually. Thus the sex reception culture in the companies was fixed.
In such a process, recognition that the body of the women could come close anytime to satisfy the sex desire of the man spread out.”
Shin Sang-suk, the professor in woman Institute in Seoul University said, “Women in violence and the poverty were easy to go to prostitution, but there was no continuous policy for them.”
He said, “We must build the society security net continuously for women who come to the border of the prostitution, not devise a special solution.”
