Seoul - About 2 800 prostitutes wearing face masks and sunglasses to shield their identities marched on parliament on Thursday to protest at a police crackdown on South Korea's sex trade.
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Women's groups say an indefinite clampdown is needed to eradicate a culture of male exploitation. They say hundreds of thousands of women serve as prostitutes in brothels, barber shops, massage parlours, karaoke bars and bars.
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The sex industry accounts for more than four percent of South Korea's gross domestic product, with its annual sales estimated at 24 trillion won last year.
Statistics show one in five South Korean men buy sex four times a month and 4.1 percent of women aged 20 to 30 rely on prostitution to make a living.
News24