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| Korea |
| U.S. military blames lap dances for declining military discipline |
| 2004-02-03 |
| Special to World Tribune.com EAST-ASIA-INTEL.COM Tuesday, February 3, 2004 SEOUL – The U.S. military has asked South Korea to ban lap dancing and other lewd acts at local nightclubs near its bases, saying they negatively impact military discipline. The officials said the military was taking similar steps at other bases in the United States and overseas against lap dancing. The U.S. Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, which has 15,000 troops near the border with North Korea, recently sent letters to the South Korean Special Tourist Association and local mayors urging a crack down on lap dancing clubs near barracks. Describing "client-focused exotic dancing" as the principal cause of worsening military discipline, the military letter called for local club owners to "prohibit any physical contact between dancers and (U.S.) customers." South Korean lap dancing clubs are totally dependent on American customers because they are not allowed to take local clients. U.S. officials declined to specify what they meant by worsening military discipline. "We are following trends in the United States," Lt. Col. Chris Bailey, the 2nd Infantry Division’s assistant chief of staff, told the Stars & Stripes newspaper. The U.S. Forces Korea has consulted mainland laws banning lap dancing, he said. The more than 90 American installations throughout South Korea have long been a source of friction between residents living near the U.S. facilities, who complain of pollution, noise and traffic from the U.S. bases and occasional crimes by American troops. Many crimes committed by U.S. servicemen involve nightclubs near their barracks. Amid an increasing number of American troops accused of crimes, their legal protection has become a sensitive issues for the two governments. "The USFK will root out any practices that go contrary to a positive environment for U.S. soldiers, Korean residents and people of all nationalities," said Chae Yang-To, a spokesman for the 2nd Infantry Division. The United States maintains 37,000 troops in South Korea to help defend it from a potential conflict with North Korea under a bilateral defense treaty signed after the 1950-1953 Korean War. Sorry, I couldn’t help but post this. It just seemed in keeping with our recent booby discussions.:) |
| Posted by:whitecollar redneck |
| #6 New headline: Angry lap dancers blame US military for declining revenue |
| Posted by: Gasse Katze 2004-2-3 11:24:33 PM |
| #5 I would approve of the measure, but only if we were a couple of months away from war. That's when having angry Privates really pays off. |
| Posted by: Sorge 2004-2-3 7:07:06 PM |
| #4 I bet that Lt. Col. Chris Bailey has NO FRIENDS at Camp Humphreys. I will admit that some of the dancers are forced or coerced into working at the clubs but a great many of them make good money and they don’t work very hard for it. I am speaking solely as an outsider that actually talked to several of these working girls in Sontang Si outside Osan AB (I had no money to offer so talk is all I ever got). All had a story to tell and some even said they were tricked into working at the clubs. But MOST said they were happy to be working ‘easy’ and not planting rice or working in a sweatshop. Another factoid about the girls in the clubs, MOST are not hookers, they are just dancers. The old days of paying a ‘bar fine’ and leaving with Miss Kwon are long gone (at least in the major cities). I saw one turn down $500 dollars to go home with a Major one time. This was in 1988 and that was almost two months wages! |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2004-2-3 5:43:42 PM |
| #3 They've already banned booze in the Middle East. Now no women in the Far East? Perhaps an Army of eunuchs next? Cut me a break. |
| Posted by: XMAN 2004-2-3 2:30:21 PM |
| #2 It's mostly to answer complaints about human trafficking and prosititution: A U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) communications officer said it came up with a guideline, titled ``Good Commerce Practices Guide,'' and distributed it to the local administrative bodies around its camps at cities such as Tongduchon, north of Seoul, as part of efforts to prevent prostitution and possible human trafficking.The new guideline also urges bars and clubs to forbid the customers to place money or bills in dancers' garments, g-strings, bras, garters or other apparel, a practice prevalent at the strip bars and nightclubs in the camp towns. Lap dancing, provided by all-but-naked strippers for paying customers seeking women to gyrate on their laps, was banned in Las Vegas and in Los Angeles before the move was compromised. He linked the latest suggestion to concerns about human trafficking and prostitution, which local media have repeatedly argued the American military was making little effort to prevent. The USFK will root out any practices that go contrary to a positive environment for U.S. soldiers, Korean residents and people of all nationalities, Chae Yang-to, a spokesman of the 2nd Infantry Division, said. ``The division will designate the Korean nightclubs that do not comply with the request for banning lap dancing as off-limits spots to its soldiers,'' he said. Basically, some of the "dancers" have been forced, even kidnapped, and made to dance in the clubs. Of course, it's our fault. |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-2-3 2:04:20 PM |
| #1 client-focused exotic dancing LOL.... sounds like something out of Dilbert. Using a client-focused exotic dancer I endeavored to add value to the company and become self-actualized. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-2-3 2:01:00 PM |