By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
The once-thriving sex business in Jangan-dong, eastern Seoul, has almost collapsed with many brothels reportedly shutting down or suspending business since the start of an intensive crackdown from July, police said Tuesday.
A total of 61 brothels were doing business in July when a police crackdown started but the number has drastically fallen, Dongdaemun Police Station said.
As many as 35 brothels reported a suspension of business in September and many changed their line of business into lodging facilities, bars and poolrooms.
Police have arrested 240 people, including 21 pimps, 106 prostitutes and 66 customers. It also confiscated hundreds of bathtubs, beds and even faucets installed at brothels to prevent them from resuming business.
``Since the crackdown, few sex-seeking males have been visiting the district, a police officer said.
But the crackdown has drawn die-hard resistance from pimps, sex workers and other nearby shops for their loss of business.
At the height of the crackdown, a pimp identified as Choi hung himself in an underground parking lot on Aug. 29, condemning the head of Dongdaemun Police Station who initiated the operation for the alleged undue crackdown. Angry pimps and sex workers have taken to the streets to protest against what they call the cleanup operation.
To help revive the depressed business in the districts for restaurants, residents and civil servants held a public hearing at Dongdaemun Ward Office.
Meanwhile, other regional police stations geared up for crackdowns on sex businesses in their district.
Gangnam Police Station indicted 95 sex business workers and operators in 16 bars and brothels in Gangnam, southern Seoul during its 40-day crackdown.