A man caught distributing fliers advertising prostitution on streets here has been arrested on charges of violating a youth protection law, the first such case of criminal punishment, police said Wednesday.
The case, which follows the arrest Tuesday of three men accused of simply possessing obscene materials, testifies to the law enforcement authority's determination to crack down on sex offenses that have mushroomed nationwide as seen in the recent kidnapping and rape of a 7-year-old.
According to the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, a 49-year-old man surnamed Kim was detained last Saturday by officers on patrol in the southern port city while distributing some 300 name card-type leaflets that have a picture of a women's naked body to advertise illegal sex trafficking.
Under law, advertising materials deemed harmful to adolescents is not allowed to be given out at public places, with violators to face a jail term of up to two years and a maximum fine of 10 million won (US$8,812).
"It marks the first arrest case for that suspicion, as such illegal activities often take place secretly, and catching them after the fact is almost impossible," an officer in Busan said.
Busan police said they plan to hold a meeting with printing businesses to ask for help and to conduct a joint crackdown once a week along with the local government and the education office.
Such a stronger move is in line with the government's pledge to toughen punishments for sex offenses and other violent crimes in the wake of a series of sex offenses against women and children as well as crimes targeting the public at random.
On Tuesday, prosecutors in Suwon, southern Seoul, said they have indicted 60 people, with three of them being physically detained, and put one on its wanted list for distributing or possessing obscene materials featuring children and adolescents.
"It is the first time for prosecutors to charge those simply storing such materials since 2008 when the relevant law was made. All those indicted have a history of committing sex crimes against children," a Suwon prosecutor said. (Yonhap)