Mayor pushes back against fears of policy retreat on red-light district closure
Paju Mayor Son Bae-chan has directly pushed back against recent concerns that the city is retreating from its policy to shut down a local sex trade district, reaffirming his commitment to eradicating prostitution in the area.
According to Paju City on Thursday, Son made the remarks during a municipal briefing held to mark his first week in office. "Eradicating prostitution in Daechubeol is an unwavering, immutable principle," he said. "I will apply the law more strictly and thoroughly than any mayor before me."
Paju City also announced it will stop using the name "Yongjugol" to refer to the district and replace it exclusively with "Daechubeol."
The name change is a strategic move aimed at shedding the long-standing stigma attached to the area, improving the city's overall image and restoring the dignity of local residents. City officials said the decision also signals a strong administrative resolve to achieve the complete structural dismantlement of the district, going beyond the simple physical barriers or temporary closures of the past.
The dismantlement policy will proceed with full force while a public deliberation forum is established to minimize social conflict surrounding the process.
Paju City presented a concrete roadmap, pledging to complete the formation of a public deliberation body as soon as possible and to wrap up the first phase of the project with initial results by the end of this year.
Son also raised concerns about the motives behind recent allegations that the new administration was backing away from the closure policy. "I am worried that the allegations of a policy retreat may be a deliberate attempt to defame the new mayor and destabilize city governance," he said. "We will respond firmly to any acts that spread false information and create confusion in city administration."
He added that volunteers and civil servants who have dedicated themselves to eradicating prostitution in Daechubeol must not be shaken by the controversy. "This is a critical period in which we are carefully reviewing the work carried out over the past four years and checking for any procedural flaws," he said. "Please do not be swayed by groundless rumors."
Son also moved to correct what he described as an excessive emphasis on development logic in past efforts, which he said had overshadowed the original goal of eliminating prostitution.
"As confirmed during the transition briefings, if there are remnants of excessive government involvement that made the initiative appear to be driven by development interests rather than its original purpose, I will remove them decisively," Son said. "We will move forward again with the sole goal of eradicating prostitution and completely dismantling the district, so that the hard work of the civil servants and volunteers who have dedicated themselves to this cause is not diminished."
Son also made clear that even well-intentioned actions cannot be protected if they fall outside legal boundaries.
"The safety of volunteers and those involved is the top priority," he said. "Only by acting in accordance with the official schedules and guidelines of the relevant departments can we provide legal protection to both civil servants and volunteers."
Paju City said it will accelerate the dismantlement policy through proper legal procedures, starting with an official meeting with anti-prostitution civic groups held Monday.
pjh@heraldcorp.com
