Korean Job Discussion Forums

helly · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Location: WORLDWIDE

Interesting exchange last night with the Program Director at the Korea UNAIDS Information Support Center. Sorry, no media links, simply based off a conversation.

The UN now classifies Korea as an "emerging epidemic" nation, leading their establishment of an office here to deal with the problem. You may have noticed a bit more AIDS awareness efforts recently (advertising in subways, condom machines in subways, etc) They've also started sex education programs in middle schools. Look for more, including an upcoming AIDS walk (imagine this here in KOREA!!!)

The center has encountered much resistance (surprise) in bringing awareness. Printed materials for sex ed in middle and highschools included pencil drawings of oral and anal s*x, which drew absolute rage (and denial) from parents (not my kids!.) Meanwhile the most recent positive tests were from 17 year old girls.

AIDS/HIV in Korea is a heterosexual disease and efforts will be made to make this an objective awareness campaign, not a gay- or drug user-bashing excuse for ignorance.

Tancred · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 4:01 pm Post subject:

wow...kuraeyo? That's actually quite the news...i had no idea it was an "emerging epidemic" nation. I will have to discuss this with my ultra-conservative adult students...love the controversial classes.

T.

canuckistan · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 4:42 pm Post subject:

The culture of silence concerning all matters sexual here and the prevalence of prostitution make Korea an excellent candidate for an AIDS crisis.

denz · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 6:47 pm Post subject:

Gwangjuboy · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Location: England

Same thing was said 10 years ago about this country. The predicted epidemic has failed to materialise. Things could change though. Don't be so sure that homosexual transmission is not happening either. As you said yourself, it's a secretive society. How many men have lied about the source of their infection upon reciept of a positive test? Having the disease is considered bad enough in this country, but being gay as well would be a double whammy due to the prejudice in this country.

denz · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 6:57 pm Post subject:

makushi · Joined: 08 Jun 2003

From what I hear....most of the working girls pretty much insist on using a condom...which is a big change from a few years go when it was the customer's perogative...

Paddycakes · Joined: 05 May 2003 Location: Seoul

Gwangjuboy · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Location: England

According to my Korean friends (yes really!) the working girls are required by law to take HIV tests every month. They are reffered to as licensed prostitutes. Unlicensed girls usually work the streets.(street girls.) Licensed prostitutes work in the brothels.

helly · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Location: WORLDWIDE

A few follow-up comments after reading replies:

Completely agree that homosexual transmission does occur and is probably more of a problem than currently being acknowledged. Having said that, acknowledgement of AIDS/HIV in Korea is that it IS a homosexual problem, nothing to worry about for straights. Thus, the thrust of the educational awareness campaign needs to move the concept out of the closet and into the mainstream.

Arguing about condom use by Korean prostitutes is difficult to do based on lack of real data. Anecdotally, for an extra 50 bucks, no condom. I'm sure that it happens without the extra pay.

The spread often comes from Korean men visiting prostitutes overseas (SE Asia, India, Africa) with no condoms. When they return, they are more likely to pass it on to 1) their wives and 2) Korean prostitutes. Once a wife is infected, she can pass it on if she is engaged in extramarital sex (common, and because she is married, she is considered "safe" and doesn't need a condom). Once a prostitute is infected, she can pass it on to other men who visit, who then pass it on to wives, who then pass it on to affairs, who then pass it on to wives/other prostitutes........

I hope to see more public awareness. UN (the Korean pop-band) has agreed to publicly discuss the issue. Other media/personalities are less agreeable. Interesting to see how this goes.

makushi · Joined: 08 Jun 2003

agreed...but the point of my earlier post was that there already is some education taking place out there...IE girls that weren't being tested and weren't using condoms now are...of course, on the other hand, I had a fairly high-level Korean co-worker tell me that as long as you don't..ahem...how shall I phrase this... "complete the act inside" it's perfectly safe for a man without a condom because in his words "there's no interaction of fluids." He said that was kind of common knowledge...so I guess there are some men out there who are using the withdraw method for more than just birth control...

Paddycakes · Joined: 05 May 2003 Location: Seoul

Lawrence · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

One of the primary spreaders is Nigerians in Korea. The government permits these "traders" to enter Korea freely, despite their dubious
function here (baseball caps?) . The Nigerians in Haebongchon/
Itaewon cohabitate with Russian women, and pimp them out as well. Who
do the russian gals have sex with here? Korean men, of course, who
occasionally also sleep with their unsuspecting (?) wives. AIDS statistics are as disingenuous as government efforts to limit the spread of the disease.

helly · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Location: WORLDWIDE

Government efforts to stop the spread of disease? In Korea?

This is why I am happy that the UN is getting involved. While government efforts may actually take place, they don't have a history of following through on the many "campaigns" they start. Just don't think government action is enough.

The Lemon · Joined: 11 Jan 2003