S. Korea to crack down on sexy performance by minors

SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea authorities said on Wednesday they were taking steps to curb over-sexualised performances by teenaged stars of the country's thriving K-pop scene.

Proposed revisions to the existing Youth Protection Law would slap an R-rating on films, music videos and TV shows that placed an exaggerated sexual emphasis on young singers and bands they feature.

An official at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Lee Ill-Hyun, said the move would encourage self-regulation, as producers would have to tone down performances or suffer a rating that cuts out the teenage audience they target.

The revised law would apply to videos and shows that "excessively highlight certain body parts of minors and depict them as sexual subjects", the ministry said in a statement.