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| Brothel owners and employees try to frustrate city government officials' attempts to install surveillance cameras in a red-light district in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Dec. 12. Yonhap |
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| Brothel owners and employees block the way to a red-light district in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Dec. 12. Yonhap |
By Jung Min-ho
After more than a century, Changwon's most famous ― and infamous ― red-light district faces shutdown.
But the city government's plan to close the brothels, some of which date back to 1905, was never going to be trouble-free, with the lives of many people depending on them.
Instead of taking aggressive action to shut it all down immediately, the city government took a soft approach by trying to set up surveillance cameras in the area in an apparent attempt to keep self-conscious buyers of sex away. But it has so far failed to do so.
On Dec. 10, about 50 officials carrying six surveillance cameras and other necessary equipment met with ferocious protests from brothel owners and employees. They screamed, pushed the officials away and tried to break the ladders; one even threatened to set himself on fire.
In fear of any incident, officials decided to withdraw. It was the third botched attempt in the past two months.
The move comes after the city government formed a special team of officials amid growing calls to remove the brothels in a neighborhood that also has elementary and middle schools and a day care center nearby. Many, especially the parents of children, worry that the brothels and people who work there may have a bad influence on their kids.
"While the city government continues to turn a blind eye to the area, the brothels have been exploiting the bodies of women to make money," a joint group backed by 145 civic groups in South Gyeongsang Province said in a statement earlier this month. "We welcome its recent effort to finally resolve the issue."
For many years, they complained to officials and pressured them politically. On Sept. 27, the city council adopted a resolution urging Mayor Huh Sung-moo to take action. He later promised to try his best to put an end to the issue as soon as possible.
Some brothel owners say they need more time to prepare to leave before closing their businesses, and installing surveillance cameras near their doors is tantamount to the end of their businesses. But they know there is not much time left.
Jagalmadang, a red-light district that emerged in the 1910s in Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province, was forced to shut down early this year.
