Gyeonggi Special Judicial Police to Intensively Crack Down on Youth-Harmful Establishments Such as Room Cafes, Multi-Rooms, and Hold'em Pubs

Gyeonggi Province will launch a concentrated crackdown on room cafes and similar establishments during the summer vacation period.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police will conduct an intensive crackdown on violations of the Youth Protection Act targeting room cafes, multi-rooms, and hold'em pubs throughout the province for four weeks, from July 27 to August 21, in response to the summer vacation season.

The crackdown will focus on room cafes, multi-rooms, and hold'em pubs located in major commercial districts and around schools, where students have easy access. Hold'em pubs are classified as establishments that offer gambling and speculative games, and therefore youth entry and employment are prohibited. Room cafes and multi-rooms are not inherently banned for youth entry. However, features such as enclosed structures, blocked external visibility, the presence of mattresses, and the installation of locks may result in these venues being designated as harmful to youth under the 'Notice on the Designation of Youth Entry and Employment Prohibited Establishments.' In such cases, youth entry and employment are prohibited.

Poster for Enforcement of Prohibition on Youth Employment and Entry in Restricted Businesses in Gyeonggi Province

The main points of the crackdown will include: ▲ violations of the prohibition on employing youth at youth-harmful businesses ▲ violations of the ban on selling or renting harmful substances to youth at such establishments ▲ failure to display information restricting youth entry and employment at youth-harmful businesses ▲ and violations of youth entry bans at these locations.

According to the Youth Protection Act, business owners who employ youth at youth-harmful establishments may face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won; those who sell or rent harmful substances such as hallucinogens, alcohol, or cigarettes to youth may also face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won; failure to display information restricting youth entry and employment at youth-harmful establishments may result in up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won; and allowing youth to enter or work at these establishments may also result in up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won for business owners or employees.

Kwon Moonjoo, Head of the Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police, stated, "We will focus our crackdown on room cafes, multi-rooms, and hold'em pubs, where youth visits are expected to increase during the summer vacation, to root out illegal activities at youth-harmful establishments and create a safe environment for young people."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.