Camptowns developed around US military bases as they became permanent fixtures in Korea's landscape. Camptown women who engaged in prostitution primarily, but not exclusively, with American soldiers were a notable set of occupants. Many women from rural areas or those who lost families during the Korean War arrived at camptowns or nearby cities looking for jobs and were ultimately trafficked into this position. Though these women were placed at the bottom of society, their work was viewed as necessary and regulated by the Korean government.