On Friday September 6, 2013, I was able to attend a government seminar that discussed human trafficking of foreigners into Korea. The biggest issue was the E-6 entertainment visa that is offered usually to women in Southeast Asia who come to Korea with dreams of becoming a celebrity. Unfortunately, most of them never get to sing, act, or dance. Instead, they are forced into the sex industry and deceived into thinking that they have to pay off a debt bondage for all their "fees" for getting into Korea. And the #1 trafficked group into South Korea at the moment are women from the Philippines who end up working in the "juicy bars" located outside the US military bases throughout Korea.
As I was sitting in this meeting, my heart was not at peace. I heard talks by many lawyers and government workers, even in the Ministry of Justice. And I was able to talk with various people in the government who were working on this trafficking issue, but I was so sad in the end. I prayed and realized that there was such a strong spirit of apathy for many of these government workers who for them, this literally is just a job and assignment given to them by their boss that they had to do. I was reminded also of the deep corruption and deception that is also a stronghold in the law enforcement and judicial levels of power in Korea. One government worker gave these bogus stats on how there has been in increase over the years in trafficker who have been put into jail, seeking to highlight how much good has been done concerning this issue in Korea. Another man shared how the problem with the E-6 visa is that Korea needs to have stronger interviews so that these women can do "singing tryouts" during the interview so they can discern their level of talent (this comment was such a joke people didn't know whether to laugh at him or stone him). Not surprisingly, he left the meeting well before it ended.
I brought 2 copies of my book Justice Awakening in Korean, praying for "champions" of this cause to give it to. And I think I found one. His name is Kim, Choon Jin and he is a member of the National Assembly. He shared briefly about his heart for vulnerable and abused women and children. He also shared how he gained a concern for this issue from visiting Cambodia. I felt led to approach him and give him my book and as I did, I sensed a heart connection with him as we talked briefly and shook hands. I knew I was supposed to give him a book. He received the book with joy and I continued to pray for him throughout the day. I am praying that God would use him and others to begin fighting for these many women who are in sexual slavery in Korea. I was reminded this day that the battle is hard and it will be long. But it is a battle that must be fought.
As I was sitting in this meeting, my heart was not at peace. I heard talks by many lawyers and government workers, even in the Ministry of Justice. And I was able to talk with various people in the government who were working on this trafficking issue, but I was so sad in the end. I prayed and realized that there was such a strong spirit of apathy for many of these government workers who for them, this literally is just a job and assignment given to them by their boss that they had to do. I was reminded also of the deep corruption and deception that is also a stronghold in the law enforcement and judicial levels of power in Korea. One government worker gave these bogus stats on how there has been in increase over the years in trafficker who have been put into jail, seeking to highlight how much good has been done concerning this issue in Korea. Another man shared how the problem with the E-6 visa is that Korea needs to have stronger interviews so that these women can do "singing tryouts" during the interview so they can discern their level of talent (this comment was such a joke people didn't know whether to laugh at him or stone him). Not surprisingly, he left the meeting well before it ended.
I brought 2 copies of my book Justice Awakening in Korean, praying for "champions" of this cause to give it to. And I think I found one. His name is Kim, Choon Jin and he is a member of the National Assembly. He shared briefly about his heart for vulnerable and abused women and children. He also shared how he gained a concern for this issue from visiting Cambodia. I felt led to approach him and give him my book and as I did, I sensed a heart connection with him as we talked briefly and shook hands. I knew I was supposed to give him a book. He received the book with joy and I continued to pray for him throughout the day. I am praying that God would use him and others to begin fighting for these many women who are in sexual slavery in Korea. I was reminded this day that the battle is hard and it will be long. But it is a battle that must be fought.
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