Current Jeju Provincial Council Member's Payment Details Appear on Prostitution Business Card Receipts

Business, Forcing Foreign Women into Prostitution After Confinement
Provincial Assembly Member's Side Denies Charges, Claims "Only Paid for Drinks"

A current Jeju Provincial Council member is under police investigation after being suspected of using a prostitution establishment.

According to a Yonhap News report on the 10th, the police announced that they have booked and are investigating Council member A of Jeju Provincial Council on charges of violating the Act on the Punishment of Acts of Prostitution. The police launched an investigation after identifying that a card under Council member A’s name was used for payment while checking card sales slips during a recent crackdown on a certain entertainment establishment in the Jeju area suspected of prostitution mediation and other charges.

The owner of this entertainment establishment and others deceived four foreign women of Southeast Asian nationality by bringing them into the country under the pretense of performing food and beverage service duties, then confined them and forced them to serve customers and engage in prostitution. To avoid police crackdowns, they closed the main entrance of the karaoke bar, turned off the sign lights, and operated secretly by accepting only reserved customers. The Jeju Police Agency conducted crackdowns from November last year to March this year and arrested four people including the owner of this establishment.

Jeju Provincial Council building view
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The police are focusing on clarifying whether Council member A actually engaged in prostitution or merely paid for drinks. It is known that Council member A was questioned by the police on the 4th, but a police official stated, "We cannot confirm anything as this is an ongoing investigation."

Yonhap News reported that they attempted to contact Council member A several times directly but were unable to reach him. A’s lawyer stated, "He firmly denies the allegations," adding, "He did pay for drinks, but there was no prostitution involved." The lawyer further said, "We will actively cooperate with the investigation, but we regret the rampant speculation and rumors."

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