So going a swingers club is controversial in Korea, and they are trying ways to bust it up. We are also being lectured how “immoral” English teachers are in Korea.
However, just so you know, according to the Busan district court it is not illegal to pick up 16 year old homeless girls:
A local high court found a 46-year-old man not guilty of having sex with a runaway teenage girl, saying their liaison was neither forced nor in exchange for money.
…Kim bought food for the 16-year-old girl, who was wandering near Seoul Station, and allowed her to stay at his home in December 2006.
…The court also found Kim not guilty of violating the laws governing the protection of adolescents, saying, “They had sex, but she did not demand money and he did not give her money. He provided her with shelter, food and about 20,000 won pocket money, but there is no evidence that the offering was in exchange for sex.’
The article goes on to point out the age of consent in Korea is 13, as long as there is no coercion or money changing hands.
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, if it’s legal, it’s legal.
There’s not really a contradiction here. The court isn’t saying it’s good. Just legal. Just like the swingers’ club has not been shut down yet, and no foreigners have been arrested for dating Korean girls. Move along, nothing to see here.
However, the media and netizens usually don’t turn these things into a personal witch hunt when the perp is a Korean man.
They DON’T post his picture on the Internet. they DON’T make salacious statements about how Korean men in general are dangerous perverts.
Here’s the score:
Millions of people wasted on soju=good, clean fun.
A very small minority of fools gettin’ high=an epidemic of “unqualified”, dangerous foreigners.
Korean men perving on young girls and whoring all over the place=boys will be boys – ‘naughty, naughty, wink-wink, nudge-nudge’.
A few random guys post seemingly harmless pictures of them dancing with Korean girls or other regular hanging out in clubs on their Facebook/Myspace=all these evil foreing men are disgracing our women and acting like evil thieves of virtue.
Korean men share their stories of whoring and perving on the latest 15 year old entertainer cupcake=boys will be boys.
A very few waygook idiots share their ‘conquests’ on the Internet=a massive epidemic of pervert foreigners who are detroying Korean virtue- “raping at knife point”!
That’s the score I see.
As waygooks, we are the “boogey man”, the scapegoat. In America, we have the “unidentified black man”. Here, it’s us!
13?????????????????????????
And they want to focus on laws to make swinging illegal????????????????
Is that 13 in Korean years? Because if so it would mean it’s legal to sleep with a grade 6 elementary student. One of these decades Korea really needs to modernise its laws.
No wonder people in Korea think that 30 is old. Starting the age of consent at 13? sheesh.
I wonder what the verdict would be if instead of a Mr Kim picking up and having sex with the girl it was one of those immoral English teachers….
No. I don’t really wonder…He’d be frickin’ cruicified.
13- holy crap !
You spoke too soon:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/07/117_47775.html
Yes, I’m sure the police were really concerned about the pub-like services.
@Benicio74
I think that’s a great comparison – the unidentified black man in the US and the English teacher in Korea. Both stereotypes are imbued with a blend of fascination, fear, and hatred. Both are seen as undereducated, incapable, and on drugs. They’re both perceived as being obscenely hyper-sexual in a way that is morally outrageous, yet apparently irresistible. This is evidenced by the fact that the women supposedly need protecting from themselves. And, of course, both stereotypes are utter rubbish.
that middle aged man should lock up in jail, what a sicko.
“Starting the age of consent at 13? sheesh.”
What is it in the US, I recall the fuss about the famous US pianist (whose name is on the tip of my tongue… but…) who was kicked out of the UK for bringing his 13 year old wife. The age of consent in the UK being 16 years.
Which means in this case, the Korean guy above would’ve been legal in the UK too…
Jarry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
@Arghaeri
The age of consent in the US varies between 16 and 18 depending on state. There’s often also an exception that prevents prosecution if the age gap is less than a few years. For example in my home state, a 17 year old can have sex with a 15 year old without committing a crime, even though the age of consent is 16. I also seem to recall hearing some states have an exception allowing you to get married below that age if you have parental consent. That may have been in the past.
It’s gonna hit a new fever pitch this summer, isnt it?
As my old man used to say “If there’s grass on the Park, play ball…”
[See what I did with the Park thing? Capitalisation and all... Come on, people! Keep up!]
{And don’t get angry, it was just a joke.}
Having sex with thirteen-year-olds may be legal (!) but that does not make it ethical or socially acceptable.
I understand that thirteen was an age of majority centuries ago, in some countries like Italy, when longevity was a problem but this is more an issue of moral turpitude and hypocrisy in Korea than of social necessity.
@8
But my point stands. They found a legal reason to shut it down. In every case, the law is being followed.
And guys, I don’t mean to get all Netizen Kim on you, but this whole “Korean guys get away with everything and white guys don’t” thing is really turning into a circle jerk. Look at comment #7 to see what I mean. Of course, the existence of this post…
But, of course, this is a Dram Man post. I mistakenly thought this was an RJK, which is why I was moderately polite in my first response. DM, of course, is always seeing “connections” where they don’t exist. I wonder what his thoughts are on 9/11.
Don’t answer that, DM. Rhetorical.
I’m not saying Korean guys get away with everything – that’s not my point at all. I’m saying that Foreigners get nailed – HARD.
http://ageofconsent.com/ageofconsent.htm
colontos,
Don’t worry. If the guy is smart, he’ll find a loophole.
Just think of the defense: “I swear your honor. She said she was 13!”
13 Korean age…That could be as young as 11.
The Korean government clearly has its priorities wrong.
I, too, wonder if that 13 is Korean age and not the one used in most of the rest of the world where these kids might actually be 11 or 12, all way, way too young, mentally immature, and still too trusting and unaware of many of the dangers that lurk around so many dark and disturbing corners in this world.
It really paints a wonderful picture of this country’s failure of protecting its children while saving the face of its male adults. Why this 46 year old “man” couldn’t have taken her to place where she could get some help, shelter, and food, says a lot about this society.
He did take her to a place where she got help, shelter and food…which she hadn’t got anywhere else, and the sex was consensual, which part of the judgement, didn’t you understand. As to whether or not 13 is an appropriate age for consensuality thats another matter….
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