Korea's program to rehabilitate sex buyers draws criticism for questionable effectiveness

Two decades after its launch as a rehabilitative alternative to prosecution, Korea’s “John School” program is drawing criticism for lax oversight and questionable effectiveness, particularly as repeat sex buyers continue to slip through its cracks.

A view of the alley in Mia-ri Texas Village, a red light district in Hawolgok-dong, Seongbuk District, central Seoul, on April 21. [YONHAP]

Two decades after its launch as a rehabilitative alternative to prosecution, Korea’s “John School” program is drawing criticism for lax oversight and questionable effectiveness, particularly as repeat sex buyers continue to slip through its cracks.

Established in 2005 under a Supreme Prosecutors’ Office directive, the program allows first-time offenders charged with purchasing sex to receive a suspension of indictment if they complete 16 hours of education at a probation center. The course includes sessions on “refusing to buy sex,” “pros and cons for sex workers” and “harmful effects of prostitution,” with the aim of deterring reoffending through rehabilitation.

According to the Ministry of Justice, about 1,000 offenders receive suspended indictments through the program each year. But recent data shows that dozens of repeat offenders have also been allowed to retake the course — despite this contradicting the program’s original intent. The number of repeat participants stood at 26 in 2020, 18 in 2021, 30 in 2022, 38 in 2023 and 20 last year.

Despite this contradiction, the Justice Ministry allows certain exceptions. According to ministry guidelines on handling prostitution-related cases, repeat offenders may be permitted to reenroll if their previous offenses were discovered only after being criminally charged, if a significant amount of time has passed between offenses or if the offender has a disability.

“The aim is not simply to impose criminal penalties, but to consider the context and severity of the offense,” a Justice Ministry official said. However, critics say the system is being run in an ineffective manner.

Jeong Park-eun-ja, an auditor at the Daegu Women's Rights Center who lectured at John School for 13 years, quit in 2018 after being subjected to verbal abuse from attendees.

“They would say things like, ‘Women voluntarily [sell sex]. They’re not victims,’ and joke that they ‘really enjoyed the class,’” Jeong said. “That was the last straw.”

There are no sanctions for poor behavior during the course. Instructors, who are not probation officers, lack the authority to expel participants, even those who show up drunk or behave disruptively. Even if someone is removed from the classroom, they may still complete the course at the discretion of the assigned prosecutor.

Officials from the Northern Seoul District Court, Seongbuk District Office and private contractors carry out an eviction order at a prostitution establishment in Sinwolgok 1 Redevelopment Zone, Seongbuk District, central Seoul, on Sept. 10. [YONHAP]

One individual, despite not being a first-time offender, was allowed to retake the class. When asked, a Justice Ministry official admitted, “We sent him back by mistake.”

There is also no system in place to track whether participants reoffend after completing the course, raising further concerns about the program’s effectiveness.

“There’s no feedback system for instructors, and the Ministry of Justice seems to have lost interest in maintaining the integrity of the program,” Jeong added.

“In the early days of John School, even former sex workers were actively involved as lecturers,” a representative from the National Solidarity Against Sexual Exploitation of Women said. “But over time, the sense that these lectures weren’t actually preventing sex buying — combined with the inappropriate comments they had to endure — led many to step away.”

Some experts argue the program should be scrapped altogether.

“While education is important, repeatedly allowing offenders to escape punishment through a brief class offers no real deterrence,” said Jang Da-hye, a researcher at the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice. “A more effective approach would be to impose protective measures that do not necessarily involve imprisonment but still ensure meaningful rehabilitation.”

Jang pointed to domestic violence cases as an example, noting that suspects once eligible for suspended indictments with counseling or education conditions are now being sent to protective custody.

“We should consider taking a similar approach with those who purchase sex,” Jang said.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY OH SO-YEONG [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]