The cyber-nannies at the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) let it be known that they will not tolerate online “swapping” sites:
The Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) is blocking access to swingers’ or partner-swapping websites after police busted a local swingers community earlier this week. The MIC asked 12 local high-speed Internet providers to block access to recently opened overseas-based swingers’ sites. Nine of the providers including KT and Hanaro have already blocked the sites, while the other three plan to follow suit.
What started this all? This:
Police have busted the operator and members of an online swingers community. The nation???s largest partner-swapping site with more than 5,000 registered members, it in one year arranged over 400 sexual encounters involving both unmarried individuals and married couples. Members are said to include upper-class Koreans.
Busan police detained on Tuesday a 37-year-old man identified as Yu for founding and operating the website and arranging for what police described as “abnormal” sexual relations between the community’s members.
And who would have known Yangpyeong was such a happening place?
Among the trysts Yu is suspected of having arranged was a Dec. 16 orgy in a guesthouse in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province involving 16 members who engaged in partner swapping and two-on-one sex. Police believe site members engaged in over 400 sexual encounters in all and plan to call 200 members suspected of involvement for questioning.
Not that I make it a point to read Korea Herald editorials, but I came across this tripe via a Google search:
There is no knowing how prevalent swapping is in the nation. But it definitely is not an isolated social phenomenon, given that the recently found site alone had as many as 5,000 members.
Swapping is only one symptom of moral degeneration in a society worshipping carnal pleasure. Promiscuity ranges from prostitution to sex with juveniles and child molestation.
It goes without saying that it is necessary to crack down on sexual crimes. Still, law enforcement can play only a limited role in fighting sexual debauchery. After all, it is education and religion that will have to help individuals cultivate self-discipline and self-restraint in their sexual behavior.
Sexual debauchery — just say no.
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51 Comments
June spouse swapping is adultery, but in this case the adultery is not illegal since both spouses are giving one another permission. I thought adultery was illegal in Korea, but now I see not ALL forms of adultery are illegal. It seems if a spouse gives their partner permission to have sex with others then it’s legal.
SBS should do an expose on married couples.
I think they already did.
The totalitarian instinct of Korean society is quite strong.
As a libertarian, my favorite part of this story is the fact that police admit they are harassing and intimidating citizens without legal justification for doing so. Pornography is not per se unlawful in Korea — along with software piracy, pornography is the foundation of Korea’s “broadband society.” Swinging and swapping are not unlawful in Korea (even for “high-income” and “upper-class Koreans”, as the initial Chosun article tut-tuts) and there is no legal basis for punishment. If there is no possibility of punishment for an activity, why would there be a need for investigation except to harass? Yet here we are, with 200 couples engaged in this not-unlawful private and consensual activity being detained and interrogated by police, and made the objects of public scandal.
Because it “could” have harmful effects on children? Except from reading about it in the newspaper and seeing reports on TV, how were the children to have found out about this wife-swapping site? And what about all the goddamn Chomsky books on sale at the Kyobo Bookstore? Talk about harmful to children…
And what about all the goddamn Chomsky books on sale at the Kyobo Bookstore? Talk about harmful to children??
Oh geez, you owe my computer screen a good cleaning now that I shot cola all over it through my nose no less!
ahh… I can see it now:
PrincessHyoree76: Yeah, party down at Nalaree Aparment, complex #3, apt. 340.
KDwaejee: Really? Can you promise that the sausage muffin ration would be at at most 2:1?
PrincessHyoree76: Yeah. It’s a “professional” only party, so only the hottest girls will be there. I’m even bringing my “lipsticks”. NO blue collar people allowed! You know, don’t bother if you are a plumber, mechanic, “jjabsae”…
KDwaejee: …
To me it seems that this is the type of box (not unlike that of Pandora) that would have been better left undesterbed. There are the heavy handed actions of the government that can be criticized to no end and to no end. We could discuss whether of not a relatively small group of people (compared to the greater population) and their alternative lifestyles will have any greater impact on Korean society but I do not think that 5000 people is a significant enough number to get excited about. Rather, I look at this as symptom of a larger problem here in Korea-dysfunctional families. No one talks about the alcoholic dad who would put his daughter on the street and beat his family-we have to understand because he is a drunk. No one talks about the Korean wives that open a can of wup-ass everytime they get mad. There is alot of talk about the violence at Korean schools and yet no one is looking at the dysfunctional family as a cause that needs to be dealt with-that is alright, that is what happens at home, it is private and understandable. Guess what, the apple don’t fall too far from the tree. No one is willing to discuss these real and far reaching problems but the government can waste the time, money and effort to go after 200 people who, regardless of how they met, be it on the street randomly or on the Internet, because they had consensual sex with another adult and we are asked to believe that these 200 people and their behaviour pose an imminent threat to the morals and youth of the nation. Smooth.
Is adultery legal in South Korea?
Good question — criminality of sexual relations with a person not one’s spouse is determined by the spouse. Korean law requires the spouse to make a criminal complaint. In other words, if a man has sex with a woman not his wife, and his wife doesn’t know about it, he cannot be prosecuted. If his wife finds out, but doesn’t believe that the adultery should result in a criminal charge (and thereby destroy their family), he cannot be prosecuted. And it goes without saying that if he and his wife together seek out other singles or couples with whom either of them can have sex while the other is a bystander or participant, he cannot be prosecuted.
When will this country grow up?
Thanks Brendon. That law gives the “victim spouse” a lot of power.
This sort of prudish and hypocritical attitude toward consensual sex between adults is so…American
The last place left in America where this kind of thing is illegal is the military. The Uniform Code of Military Justice criminalizes adultery and no complaint from the spouse is required.
It’s also important to keep in mind that the Chosun piece makes no mention of the level of content contained in the video and still images that were downloadable from the site. It’s possible that no charges will stem from the uploaded images, either.
I agree with James on this. Who cares? There are many unhappily married Korean couples but couldn??t get divorce either thanks to rigid and strict social custom. Adultery, cheating, having ?????????? (the other woman) are not uncommon thing among Korean men. Swapping, at least, gives an equal (?) opportunity for both spouses.
Please, don??t waste our tax money…
My initial comment was made with a dollop of sarcasm.
Okay Brendon, thanks for setting me straight with that information. (I feel like I should be paying a fee.) It’s a crime but the decison to prosecute lies with the “victim”.
And June, I agree, men have more opportunities to commit adultery, but I’d like to point out that adultery is not only common among Korean MEN. More like it’s common among people, but women are better at keeping it quiet .
Brendon raises a more important issue than spouse-swapping (zzz-Z-zz). Korea desperately needs to revise and overhaul its code of law in so many areas, from intellectual property law to how civil suits are conducted. Though I’m not a lawyer, I have seen enough of how this problem effects many things in Korea.
I’ve even been told by Korean judges that Korea doesn’t even have enough judges to handle the current case loads that most judges face. I would have thought that the current president — a *lawyer* — would have taken more action to improve the system in Korea but he seems to be more interested in cosmetic remedies.
Korea desperately needs to revise and overhaul its code of law in so many areas…
Boy, you said it. The Korean legal system was imposed by the Japanese during the colonial period, more or less in the period 1920-1940 — the Japanese fascist-militarist government having been impressed by German “legal science” of the 1870s and an alliance with Adolf Hitler! You couldn’t choose worse underpinnings for a modern democratic-capitalist state if you tried. And the performance over the last 15 years of the two leading countries based on such a model — namely, Germany and Japan — doesn’t speak well for the future of Korea once its manufacturing economy reaches maturity (an event which I think may have already happened). What’s worse, those states actually had modernized their legal codes and practices considerably during their boom years from 1960-1990.
And both Germany and Japan are light-years ahead of Korea when it comes to individuals’ personal rights.
Back to the topic at hand — namely, the wife-swapping. I am really disappointed at the granny panties on that woman in the video capture. Recently I have visited South Africa, New Zealand, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and the United States. It seems that in the Western world one would have a hard time finding women’s undergarments in anything other than a thong. When is the thong coming to Korea? And what about the garter belt and stockings?
Is it possible to tell if two Korean people are married simply by looking at their ID cards?
I’m caught up in this issue today. Hope I’m not annoying too many people………
I was talking to my Korean friend about this issue. I asked her what would stop a couple from blackmailing a third party? For instance; What if a husband asked his wife to sleep with another man so the husband could sue the other man or bargain an out of court settlement? She said this happens but if the husband charges the wife with adultery they MUST divorce. Anyone know if that’s true? MUST divorce?
If it’s settled out of court I guess they can repeat the scam?
Brendon,
My Korean co-worker has thongs. He says he likes the way the string separates his balls.
How about if the intermediary is working with a group of men and women who are posing as husbands and wives? Half the guys could be screwing hookers while their wives are screwing johns.
For instance: What if a husband asked his wife to sleep with another man so the husband could sue the other man or bargain an out of court settlement?
Once upon a time, there was an attractive married woman who was coming on to me here in Korea. Since I was young and stupid, this kind of offer sounded pretty good — the hell with her husband, he wasn’t “taking care of business” anyway! But a good Korean friend talked me out of following through, warning me that such a come-on was in many cases a prelude to extortion. In my case it would have been sure deportation. So the set-up that hardyandtiny describes is not so far-fetched that other people haven’t thought of it.
With respect to whether a divorce filing must precede a criminal complaint of adultery, the answer from one of our partners is yes — the divorce filing is necessary as conclusive proof that the act of adultery was neither condoned nor forgiven.
That??s hilarious, Brendon?? Actually, I went for shopping at E-mart Busan to buy some underwears, but ugly granny panties were all over! I complained to my girlfriend (who often dated foreigners like the U.S. GIs and English teachers) why Korean women never wore thong. But she was surprised that I often wore it. Obviously, her ex didn??t mind about granny panties. It??s weird that Korean women love to wear in mini-skirts and show their legs even in this harsh cold winter weather in Korea, but why not thong?
Hardyandtiny, I think that it depends on case by case. But in most cases, married men got caught with younger pretty single women (i.e. former Miss Korea ????????). I found Korean adultery law (????????) stupid, but most Korean married women support it, thanks to women??s insecurity (?), I guess.
Of course granny pants are fantastic.
At first it was only a meeting to talk over drinks. Then we decided we would go to my place because the bar was so noisy. And now she’s got granny pants too! Good Lord! I’m in heaven!
Korea’s wonderful that way, Hardy.
June, good point.
In my opinion divorce rates and gender equality may rise and fall but the level of desire for both genders to participate in sexual activity outside of marriage remains constant. Always has been always will be.
I agree, the consensus I am hearing is that it is just as common for married women to participate in a extramarital sexual relationship as for men. The only difference is that men are primarily interested in the sex (highly visible in the forms of red light districts that, still seem to be lively places despite the recent crackdown, room salons, etc) while the women are interested in the physical aspects as well as the relational aspects. I am sure each has their own reasons but some of the plausible ones that come to mind are that A) the spouse doesn’t satisfy B) the marraige was arrainged despite the fact that there was already a third person lover and this is a chance to answer the what if question C) payback for spending time in room salons or for not being home to have a meaningful relationship. I suppose a fourth option might be that one hasn’t come out of the closet yet and seeks relationships outside the home for that reason although we have hitherto been discussing primarily heterosexual relationships. I agree with Brendon that Korea is (if it hasn’t reached that point already) quickly approaching the point where its manufacturing export based economy has matured. You do have to love the Napoleonic Code type law that metes out a prescribed punishment for certain crimes. Even if Korean society accepts the fact that its legal system needs to be overhauled, how much different could it become. I don’t see them adopting the Anglo common law-judgement by peers aspect-too low brow undoubtedly. Can you imagine instituting trial duty here?
It is a little commical that Korean women would be so attuned to changes in fashion but slow to adopt the thong-I don’t see anyone touting the fact that it takes away (as much as possible with out going completely caveman) panty lines. I guess they are still not showing on the Korean fashion radar.
Thongs do show panty lines, they just put them in a different place. Anyhow I prefer string bikini panties on women.
Yeah. Down with granny panties.
Re The thong, its the same over most of Asia. Its not often you see attractive panties. From Dili to Beijing its pretty much the same. My fiance says its because high cut panties are seen as slutty.
Granny panties or thongs, they’re coming off, so it’s a moot point.
Lads and ladies, the thong is available in Korea, but the price is a little steep. My research was conducted in preparation of a White Day present. I know of a lingerie shop at COEX Mall in Samsung-dong that sells them, as well as most department stores - Galleria or Lotte ????, for example.
Anyway, based on the traffic in the shops and variety of items, I’d say more more ladies than you might expect are wearing them.
I love how Koreans refer to them as “T-panties”; my god that is so adorable. That’s the cutest little piece of Konglish I know of, and yet, it’s so completely logical you can’t blame them at all.
[I]t’s because high cut panties are seen as slutty.
We’re talking about SWINGERS here. If there was any group in which slutty attire would be de rigeur, this would be it. But instead, we get the granny panties.
I know no one wants to talk about Dokdo, but this is completely related. Korea wants to be the anti-Japan, so authorities will squash anything sexual that bubbles to the surface if it makes Korea seem reminiscent of those sexually amoral hedons to the east.
I don’t know, but I’d guess that granny panties would make almost any point moot. Just ask robertneff103…
It looks like the fellas in the picture are wearing granny panties too. I guess the tighty whitey displays the Korean manhood in a positive light. Or perhaps they are swapping panites as they swap mates.
On another vein. Do you think there is a dogmeat buffet? With all the swapping going on, dont korean men need a boost in their stamina? I have seen a few Korean women whose hallways I would toss my hot-dog into. So no need to eat real doggies for me.
the woman in the picture is obviously a slut. if she had any morality whatsoever she’d be wearing the granny panties two sizes two big like normal women.
Are grannie panties legal in South Korea?
This thread has turned out for the best. Thank God for grannie panties.
you guys are meeting the wrong women.. my girlfriend only wears thongs, as do most of her friends… and as for them being expensive true, but as most tech savvy women do these days they buy them online. Hmmm Victorias Secret, thank god for that site
What SamHam says is true also. My girlfriend in Seoul ordered some from VS as well… though I haven’t seen them…. yet.
i live near yangpyeong and i’m surprise that this has been happening … what i want to know *and the point some are missing* is what are these sites and how do i join?
come one, admit it, most guys would be into it …
the government is never going to stop it and the more they try the more they’ll fail.
i think we’re in korea at the beginning of its very own sexual revolution. i say that with all seriousness. koreans are becoming very expressive sexually. i’ve been in korea for three years and the amount of change is phenomenal. look at the movies coming out now … many are very sexual and subversive.
the japanese are very open about sex. i don’t think it’ll be long before korea becomes the same.
The Korean sexual revolution came and went about seven years ago. (Or am I just losing my touch?)
Japan may be open - but there is something about sitting on a crowded subway with a Japanese businessman sitting next to me looking at some hot, steamy magazine with very young girl models during rush hour. Yes, I know its his business and I was wrong for reading (correction - I can’t read Japanese, but I was looking at the pictures) over his shoulder (per se). I think I prefer a little more modesty.
I agree, Korea is becoming more open about its sexuality - not that sex hasn’t always been big here. Speaking of that - does anyone have a copy of, I think it was Penthouse, during the 1980s (early) in which it listed Itaewon, specifically the flower shop on Hooker Hill, as one of the top places in the world to receive oral sex? (Sorry about the crassness)
Hey Brenden, i am replying late, but as for the Korean’s copying the Japanese copy of the German legal system… I don’t think it’s such a bad system for a poor country. I think that US legal system is good… but it is too darn expensive… the jury system just burns that tax dollars… And of course, we have to admit, that with a jury system, we can sometimes get crappy results like OJ Simpson case.
outdoor bondage pictures
MIC takes aim at Korea…