Paju-si Accelerates Closure of Red-Light Districts Through 'Building Purchase and Demolition' Strategy

From Regulation of Illegal Structures to "Purchase and Demolition"
Paju City Aims for Complete Closure Within the Year
Anti-Prostitution Spaces to Be Created on Demolished Sites
Fundamental Block on Influx of Sex Buyers

Paju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Kyung-il) recently announced plans to create an anti-prostitution education center by purchasing and demolishing two buildings within the prostitution district in Yeonpung-ri, Paju-eup. This signals a new shift in the city’s policy to close prostitution districts, which has been underway since 2023.

Paju City recently purchased and demolished two buildings within the red-light district in Yeonpung-ri, Paju-eup, and plans to establish an anti-prostitution education center on the site. Photo by Paju City

Over the past two years, Paju City has focused on regulating illegal structures within the district. Moving forward, the city plans to accelerate the closure of prostitution districts by purchasing buildings used as prostitution establishments from their owners and demolishing them.

According to Paju City on the 18th, there were about 70 prostitution establishments operating until early 2023. However, due to the city’s strong and consistent efforts aiming for complete closure of the prostitution district within the current mayoral term, more than half of these establishments have been shut down, and the influx of sex buyers has significantly decreased. Nevertheless, about 30 establishments continue to operate intermittently, prompting the city to seek additional measures to fundamentally block these activities. This led to the new solution of “purchase and demolition.”

The city plans to purchase buildings used as prostitution establishments from their owners and demolish them to completely block the operation of these businesses. On the demolished sites, spaces for citizen education or exhibition halls will be created to spread an anti-prostitution atmosphere within the district, thereby doubly preventing the influx of sex buyers.

As part of this effort, the city purchased a building last year, completed remodeling work this year, and has been operating the “Joint Base Facility for Prostitution District Closure” in earnest since March. This base facility is expected to be used in various ways, including as a joint patrol base for Paju City and the police, a monitoring post for public-private surveillance teams, a citizen education center for prostitution prevention, and an exhibition hall.

Mayor Kim Kyung-il of Paju said, “By 2025, we will focus on operating the joint base facility for prostitution district closure and demolishing prostitution establishments within the district to fundamentally block prostitution. We will also strengthen cooperation with the police to strictly respond to illegal prostitution. Paju City will prioritize efforts to support victims of prostitution in leaving prostitution and achieving self-reliance and self-sufficiency. We will continue to move forward without pause for the completion of a women-friendly city, Paju, and for future generations.”

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