The Realm of Twisted Desires, Junggosesang

[Used Goods Market Dark Side] China: "Shall We Trade at a Motel?"
Used Goods Trading Becomes a Hotbed of Sexual Harassment

Demands to Sell Worn Underwear to Women
Frequent Sexual Harassment on Used Goods Platforms

Punishable Under Sexual Violence Laws
But the Process Leading to Punishment Is Complex

Recently, Deviations Like Baby Sales Occur
Proactive Self-Cleaning Efforts by Companies
Effective Institutional Measures Needed

Photo by Getty Images Bank

[Asia Economy Reporters Byungdon Yoo, Jeongyun Lee] A woman, Ms. A, who tried to sell clothes on a secondhand trading platform recently experienced an absurd incident. She uploaded a full-body photo wearing the clothes she wanted to sell, making sure her face was not visible, but one user sent sexually harassing messages such as "I want to buy you" and "Let's meet." Ms. A said, "Since that incident, I have been reluctant to post clothes or women's products on the internet or mobile platforms."

Like Ms. A's case, testimonies of sexual harassment during transactions on secondhand trading platforms or sites are emerging one after another. Most sexual harassment targets those selling women's products, and the methods vary. Some demand "worn underwear" for sale or request "photos wearing underwear," while others blatantly comment on body shape.

Various online communities are flooded with reviews of receiving sexually offensive demands such as "Come to XX hotel" or "Sell videos of specific situations" while trying to trade secondhand goods. Such acts are clearly punishable under Article 13 of the Special Act on Sexual Violence. However, the process leading to actual punishment is very complicated. First, the victim must collect all evidence themselves. Attorney Eun Lee, who has defended many sexual crime victims, explained, "It is easier to punish if the victim saves the sexually harassing messages and personally identifies the perpetrator's personal information," adding, "Punishment is possible, but the process is not easy."

In online secondhand trading, not only sexual harassment but also abnormal deviant behaviors often occur. A post selling a newborn baby on the secondhand trading platform Danggeun Market sparked social outrage. In October, a post titled "Adopting a child. 36 weeks" was uploaded in a local category along with a photo of a child wrapped in a blanket, followed by another post offering to sell a disabled person. The biological mother who tried to sell the baby was booked, but the person who posted about selling the disabled was a juvenile under the age of criminal responsibility, so punishment was impossible.

Given this situation, secondhand trading companies are also introducing self-help measures to respond to various unethical acts. Recently, a secondhand trading platform where such problems frequently occurred announced "Community Guidelines" to create a proper trading culture and a healthy user environment. The guidelines focus on sanctions against illegal posts that disrupt service experience, such as fraud, illegal transactions involving people and life, obscene chats and posts, abusive language and insults, and discriminatory remarks.

However, experts emphasize the need for more effective measures. They say proactive self-regulation by companies and institutional countermeasures are necessary. Professor Daekyung Kwak of Dongguk University's Department of Police Administration pointed out, "There are practical problems with the method where victims collect evidence and pursue punishment," and added, "Companies need to take responsibility and develop systems to filter out problems."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.