There are complaints that an adult broadcast studio known as a "cyber room salon" has moved in near an elementary school in Gangnam, Seoul, threatening children's right to learn. Police and the district office, which received parents' complaints, inspected the studio but determined that under current law it cannot be considered a restricted business in an "education environment protection zone," and thus took no separate action.
According to Yonhap News on the 27th, Agency A, a studio specializing in "Excel broadcasts" established in March last year, has moved into the basement of a building about 100 meters from an elementary school in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu. Excel broadcasts feature multiple female internet broadcast hosts (BJs) performing suggestive dances or provocative acts, then display the ranking of donations organized like an Excel document.
The National Tax Service last year labeled high-sexual-content Excel broadcasts as a "cyber room salon," calling them "harmful content that disrupts social norms and violates a sound legal order."
Gangnam-gu, at the request of cooperation from the education office, conducted a joint inspection on the 23rd with police and school officials at the studio to examine potential violations of the Education Environment Act and the Youth Protection Act. However, with no law to block an Excel broadcast studio, officials only asked them to refrain from smoking outside the building and to be mindful of BJs' attire when they go out.
The Education Environment Act designates areas within a straight-line distance of 200 meters from a school boundary as education environment protection zones and prohibits business activities that infringe on the protection of students' health, hygiene, safety, learning, and educational environment. However, while Agency A is in an education environment protection zone, it is registered as a "studio rental business," which is not among the restricted business types defined by the Education Environment Act.
Police and the district office also concluded it does not qualify as a "youth-harmful establishment" under a notice by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family because no enclosed spaces were identified inside the studio. The school sent a letter to parents saying, "We take very seriously the inconveniences arising on the school route that children use every day," and, "We will continue to monitor in cooperation with related agencies to ensure that the agreed-upon measures are well implemented on site."