Consulate in Montreal warns travelers



By Jung Min-ho



The consequences of taking child pornography to Canada, or many other developed nations, could be far more serious than many Koreans might think, a Korean consulate said in a warning to travelers.



The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Montreal and the Permanent Mission to International Civil Aviation Organization issued a warning last week against bringing child pornography to Canada, saying a Korean was recently prosecuted and imprisoned for doing so.



The consulate said the Korean was found guilty of possessing child pornography after entering the North American country with such content on his external hard drive. The consulate did not disclose further details.



According to Canada's criminal laws, any content that shows "a person who is or is depicted as being under the age of 18 and is engaged in or is depicted as being engaged in explicit sexual activity" will be subject to arrest and prosecution. People who possess any child pornography could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.



A person involved in creating or distributing such content is likely to receive heavier punishment.



Canada is not the only country that deals with such crimes more seriously than Korea does. Most other developed countries are not much different.



According to U.S. media, a Jamaican man was found guilty of possessing and transporting child pornography recently in the United States. He reportedly had a smartphone containing child pornography when he arrived at the Orlando International Airport five months ago and now faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.



Creating, distributing and possessing child pornography is illegal in Korea too, but violators face lighter punishment here. People who possess it could face a maximum prison sentence of one year or a fine of up to 10 million won ($8,900). The current law also has some loopholes. For example, it cannot punish those who watch it via streaming.



