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Thu, June 30, 2022 | 02:03
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Ex-prostitute fined after losing Constitutional Court appeal
'성매매특별법 위헌 신청' 성매매 여성 결국 벌금형
Posted : 2016-06-19 16:26
Updated : 2016-06-19 19:53
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By Kim Rahn

A former prostitute who had asked the Constitutional Court to decide whether the law punishing voluntary prostitution was proper has been fined following the court's ruling in favor of the regulation.

The Seoul Northern District Court said Sunday that it recently sentenced the woman, surnamed Kim, 45, to a 1 million won fine for selling sex.

Kim, who has been on trial since July 2012 for charging customers 130,000 won for sex, filed the petition with the Constitutional Court in December of that year. She claimed the Anti-Prostitution Law, which punishes both sex buyers and sellers, violated her basic rights because she had no other means of making a living.

Her case was suspended until the Constitutional Court made a ruling. In March, the court concluded that the law was constitutional as it was aimed at upholding sound social customs and ethics around sex.

As the case resumed, Kim asked the local court for leniency, saying that she regretted what she had done and promised she would not sell sex in the future. But the court persisted with the fine.

"There are many conflicting opinions about punishing prostitutes," the court said. "But an individual's sexual conduct should be regulated by the law if it damages society's sound customs concerning sex."

Since the law was amended in 2004, there have been eight constitutional appeals. Kim's was the only one filed by a voluntary sex worker, while the other seven were by customers or brokers.


'성매매특별법 위헌 신청' 성매매 여성 결국 벌금형

착취나 강요 없이 자발적으로 성(性)을 판매하더라도 처벌하도록 한 성매매특별법에 위헌법률심판을 제기한 성매매 여성이 헌법재판소의 합헌 결정 이후 재개된 재판에서 벌금형을 선고받았다.

재판부는 우리 사회 성 풍속에 비춰봤을 때 성매매특별법이 필요한 법률이라는 점을 이번 판결에서 다시 한 번 확인했다.

서울북부지법 형사4단독 박진영 판사는 성매매알선 등 행위의 처벌에 관한 법률 위반 혐의로 기소된 김모(45·여)씨에게 벌금 100만원을 선고했다고 19일 밝혔다. 

김씨는 2012년 7월 동대문구에서 13만원을 받고 성매매를 한 혐의로 기소돼 그해 12월 재판을 받다가 성매매 알선 등 처벌법제21조 1항이 위헌이라며 위헌법률심판 제청을 재판부에 신청했다.

이 조항은 '성매매를 한 사람은 1년 이하의 징역이나 300만원 이하의 벌금·구류 또는 과료에 처한다'고 규정해 성을 판 사람과 산 사람을 모두 처벌하도록 했다.

성매매 외에는 생계수단이 사실상 없는 상황이던 김씨는 '성매매 여성을 처벌하는 것은 기본권과 평등권을 침해한 것'이라고 주장했다.

당시 재판부는 국가가 착취나 강요 없는 성인 사이의 성행위까지 개입해서는 안 된다며 김씨의 신청을 받아들여 위헌심판을 제청했고, 김씨 재판은 헌재 결정이 날 때까지 중단됐다.

2004년 시행 이후 찬반양론이 극명히 엇갈린 성매매특별법이 다시 위헌 심판대에 오르자 논란이 또 불붙었다. 성매매 여성들이 헌재 앞에서 1인 시위를 벌였고, 헌재 공개변론에서 찬반 양측의 격론이 벌어졌다. 

 

결국, 헌법재판소는 올해 3월31일 재판관 6(합헌)대 3(위헌) 의견으로 합헌을 결정했고, 김씨의 형사 재판도 재개됐다.

김씨는 재판부에 '현재까지의 삶을 후회하고 있고, 앞으로는 성매매를 하지 않을 것이며 건강도 좋지 않다'며 관대한 판결을 내려달라고 요청했다.

박 판사는 '김씨가 상당히 오랜 기간 성매매를 해오면서 여러차례 같은 죄로 벌금형을 받은 바 있고, 기소 후에도 최근까지 성매매를 하는 등 여러 요소를 참작했을 때 약식명령 벌금액(100만원)보다 더 낮은 액수의 벌금형을 선고할 수 없다'고 밝혔다.

박 판사는 또 '성판매자에 대한 형사처벌 여부에 관하여는 많은 의견이 대립하고 있다'며 '그러나 개인의 성행위라 할지라도 그것이 외부로 표출돼 사회의 건전한 성 풍속 등을 해칠 경우에는 법의 규제를 받아야 하고, 우리나라의 사회 현실에 비추어 볼 때는 더더욱 그러하다'고 판시했다. (연합뉴스)
Emailrahnita@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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