Men who commit “semen terrorism” are often let off with a fine for property damage. Illustration: Jordan Lee / VICE
Because of what she saw online, Yoon became hesitant about speaking up about her own experience some years ago.She was travelling by bullet train one evening in 2015 when she realized she was being watched by a male passenger in the cabin. Thinking nothing of it, she fell asleep and woke up when the train pulled up to Seoul station — the final stop.“Most victims choose to stay silent because they would be the ones enduring humiliation and punishments from people on the internet.”
She then got up from her seat and grabbed her backpack, only to find a wet and sticky greyish-white substance staining the front. “It was disgusting,” Yoon said. She couldn’t tell for sure but she was highly paranoid that it might have been semen.
Korean women have reported cases of semen terrorism, which is not seen as a sex crime in the country. Illustration: Jordan Lee / VICE
In the case of the graduate student who put semen in his classmate’s cup of coffee, he was found to have been “extremely stressed” due to work and other engagements. Court documents also revealed he was motivated in part after feeling rejected by his female classmate.“A semen terrorist would likely be the sort of person who isolates himself and displays compulsive sexual behaviour disorders. They live in a fantasy world, where they objectify women and do not see them as people.”
A placard at a protest by South Korean women against spy-cam pornography in Seoul. Photo: Jung Hawon / AFP
While it is difficult to quantify the problem, a recent police report seen by VICE World News showed 44 cases related to “semen terrorism” filed between 2019 and July 2021, with 37 cases being sent to the prosecutor’s office in South Korea. “[They are] obvious sexual offences but punishment is another matter,” wrote The Women’s News, a pro-feminist media company, in a report. “Semen terrorists use [the law] as a shield to claim they didn’t commit a sex crime. The courts accept this and only impose light fines.”“This is still largely a society that values men over women.”
South Korean women protest in Seoul. Photo: Jung Yeon-je / AFP

