It seems common in South Korea for men to commit sex crimes against women and teenage girls. To give a better understanding, statistics show “In 2022 there were 10,605 cases that happened online 25.59 percent out of 41,433 overall of all the crimes accounted for in the year” (Whan-woo, 2024, para. 4). This includes “forcibly making a stranger have intercourse, digital sex abuse, and a myth that women enjoy being raped” (Seo-Young, n.d., para. 1). Unfortunately, it is usually targeted at women and teenage girls for men to have their sexual fantasies or urges to be completed. To find a solution to this starts with the government. The government would need to start seeing rape and sexual assault as something that needs to be taken seriously.

The first solution to decrease the numbers of sex crimes in South Korea, is to better the government. Sex crimes are seen as unserious “I don’t believe this government, which dismisses structural gender discrimination as mere ‘personal disputes’” (Marsh, 2024, Section 4 para. 4). To further understand, a journalist named Kang Kyung-Yoon from South Korea was interviewed by BBC. She was a major help with uncovering “a group chat which contained a hoard of sexually explicit videos and images of unconscious women being shared amongst the group which involved Jung Joon-young and other male K-pop stars” (Barrucho & Lawrence, 2024, Section 2 para 4). It is called “Burning Sun,” which all evidence from the case was revealed from late 2018 and ongoing. This case helps define sex crimes in South Korea.

For the people that are not familiar with what is considered a sex crime in South Korea. It usually depends on which sex crime you have committed and what actions have occurred. If it fits the criteria from a definition in blog of a law group from South Korea explains:Rape is the crime of having sexual intercourse with another person by means of violence or intimidation. Imitative Rape refers to a situation where a person inserts their sexual organs into another’s non-sexual body part or inserts their finger or other things (excluding genitals) into another’s genital or anus, by means of violence or intimidation. Quasi-Rape is defined as sexual intercourse with another by taking advantage of the victim’s condition of unconsciousness or inability to resist. Indecent Act by Compulsion or groping is the intentional touching of another person in a sexual manner without consent. (admin, 2023, Sections 1–2).The definitions listed before, are not all the sex crimes listed in the blog but are only four diverse types of sex crimes. There are two other types of crimes listed which are crimes using cameras and crimes against minors. In the blog it is shown the definition of the crimes “Crimes using cameras are filming against the victims will as a sex crime and later included “distribution against one’s will,” “habitual filming,” and “false video products (deep fake). Crimes against minor is a person who has sexual intercourse or commits an indecent act on a victim under 13 years of age shall be punished” (admin, 2023, Sections 4–5). To solve the epidemic all the sex crimes, need to be enforced correctly by the South Korean government.             

Enforcing these laws in South Korea can be done by the government. What is needed is to improve the investigation process. This includes an investigation to “Take the information without judgement and continue to investigate” (Johnson, 2019, Section 9). As for when information is being received, police officers or detectives can “Ask what needs to be done to make the case more prosecutable, then when you do your next investigation include everything they suggested” (Section 3). Including these steps into the investigation means there will be a difference in how the cases are handled. Once the case is taken by the prosecutor, it allows that person to analyze the correct evidence and how it is presented to determine the verdict of the case in a way that will benefit the victim. The sentencing or restrictions of the predator can be harsh. This is the solution that is needed for this social epidemic.           

In summary, sex crimes that are committed by men in South Korea are a social epidemic that isn’t usually covered. However, it is also not viewed as serious crimes and needs the government to improve the investigation process. Improving the investigation process by following these two steps can be done by understanding the victim and applying it to the investigation. The other step is having persuadable evidence that will ensure justice to the victim in the verdict. Both steps are the solution to the social epidemic and will increase the efficiency of the investigation done for the sex crimes.