2019 Theses Master's

Comparing and Contrasting Korean and Japanese Government Responses to Sex Trafficking

McFarland, Siri Kim

The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast modern South Korean and Japanese government responses to the issue of sex trafficking. By comparing and contrasting both government responses, I aim to gain a greater understanding as to why the government responses in both countries have differed despite similar causes of trafficking and to look at the implications of the remedies enforced by the governments to combat sex trafficking. This paper will specifically examine factors such as law and policy, economic interests, NGOs, and law enforcement. By examining these factors, this paper will argue that the South Korean and Japanese government responses are heavily influenced by the prioritization of economic interest over human rights.