Korean Job Discussion Forums

[diver]

SEOUL (Reuters) - The South Korean government is handing out gifts for office workers who promise not to visit brothels this holiday season.

"If you promise yourself to make it a healthy night out at the end of the year, and if you recommend this to others, we are giving lots of prizes," the Ministry of Gender Equality said in an Internet posting.

The ministry is offering to pay companies whose employees pledge not to buy sex after what are typically alcohol-soaked, year-end parties.

A ministry spokesman confirmed the campaign but declined to answer questions about it.

But a ministry official told the Korea Times daily: "Korean corporate culture that includes heavy drinking is also what makes buying sex acceptable as a way for male-bonding, which is proving to be a hard-to-break ritual."

The ministry is offering movie tickets based on the number of employees who pledge not to visit prostitutes as well as a cash prize of 1 million won ($1,077) for the company which enlists the most employees in the campaign.

Many South Koreans were bewildered by the plan, saying it was a waste of money and gave the impression that South Korean men cannot keep away from brothels.

"Do they really think men buy sex every time they have a dinner party?" wrote one Korean on a comment page of the
South Korea's largest daily Chosun Ilbo.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061226/ts_nm/korea_prostitutes_dc_2

[Yesterday]

[jaganath69]

Ministry of Gender Equality my ass, Ministry of Bollox more like it.

[Gamecock]

What???

I thought American GI's were the cause of all the prostitution in Korea! Hehe

[diver]

I wonder why they don't accept reality and just give prizes to the guys that sleep with the MOST prostitutes on New Year's Eve.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Ilsanman]

This not only treats Korean men like little children (sometimes I wonder if they are), but it rewards men for bad behaviour.

Maybe I will shove over every ajumma I see, and wait for the government to pay me to stop. Then I will take the money and gladly stop.

How about say 'Prostitution is illegal, and if you promise not to do it, we promise not to throw you in jail.'

[diver]

I wonder what I can get if I promise not to teach privates?

[Passions]

[riley]

My brother in law figured that the ministry had some left over money in their budget, so they had to think of a way to spend it or lose that money from next year's budget. Made sense to me.

[Beej]

How will compliance be verified?

[JongnoGuru]

Reminds me of the mass formations of cab drivers or, alternatively, policemen (yes) who used to assemble by government decree on Yoido Plaza (before they parkified it). Measured columns and rows, tens of thousands of them at a time, or so it looked, around the start of the year. A sea of yellow-shirted cabbies or blue-shirted coppers. Standing at attention beside their taxi cabs or their squad cars, they would gesticulate and sieg-heil in uniformed unison, "We promise not to take bribes!"

I applaud the Ministry of Gender Equality for keeping alive this tradition of government-dictated zaniness, and for demonstrating to us all certain things I've known about the Koreans to be true to this day. Indeed, it would be a hurt for me to no longer have such goofball antics to chuckle at.

[4 months left]

[charlieDD]

Like a guy who's into his regular visits to the brothel isn't just going to say "Yeah, sure; I can do that" to get the office its prize, and then go out and carry on with his routine!

I'm reminded of that Promise Keepers March in DC back about ten years ago - - Hundreds of thousands of christian family men in DC to reaffirm their commitments to their families. The local hookers reported "business was never better that weekend" !

Yeah, probably was a end of year budget surplus that had to be spent somehow! "I know boss, let's win an award this year! Let's get the Shoot Oneself in the Foot Award!"

[crazylemongirl]

Of course Korean men can keep away from brothels. They'll just get their blowjob delivered with a coffee by some dabang girl.