20s Threaten Runaway Youth to Engage in Prostitution, Saying "I'll Tell Your Parents"

Two men in their 20s who forced runaway teenagers into prostitution were sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jumi Lee] Two men in their 20s who threatened runaway teenage girls to force them into prostitution and embezzled money were sentenced to prison.

The 12th Criminal Division of the Daejeon District Court (Chief Judge Seokcheol Yoo) on the 27th sentenced A (23) and B (23), who were indicted for violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse (coercion, etc.), to 3 years and 6 months in prison each. They were also ordered to complete 40 hours of a prostitution prevention program and were banned from employment at institutions related to children, youth, and persons with disabilities for 7 years.

The court explained the sentencing by stating, "Considering that the gains obtained through coercion were not significant and that there is no prior record of sexual offenses, we took these factors into account. However, the illegality of the crime is very serious and constitutes a major offense, and the defendants have previously received several criminal punishments or juvenile protection measures."

A and B claimed that they did not threaten anyone, but the court did not accept this.

A and B were tried on charges of forcibly making two victims, including C, who was 14 years old at the time, engage in prostitution in Asan City, Chungnam Province, in October 2018. They obtained information about runaway teenagers from a teenage girl they knew and came to know the two victims, including C.

They then threatened C and others by saying they would inform their parents about the prostitution or intimidate them with the possibility of assault, forcing them into prostitution. It was found that they made the victims engage in prostitution multiple times with unspecified men.

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