Korean Sex Traders Lose Face in Vietnam

In the two days since the Vietnamese government declared war on prostitution, gambling, and drugs, nine Koreans were reportedly arrested and investigated for their involvement in the sex trade.

“The Vietnamese government ambushed three hotels in Hanoi on Saturday morning, and caught nine Korean men red-handed. They will be sentenced to fines of $35 and will be deported,” said an official of the Korean embassy in Vietnam on Sunday. All of the nine men were known to be tourists.

In Vietnam, prostitution is officially prohibited, but illegal sex trades between young Vietnamese women and foreign tourists from Korea, Japan and Taiwan are thriving, making the country a new sex tour destination.

Starting last July, the Vietnamese government allowed Koreans to stay in the country without a visa up to 15 days.

On May 26, the Vietnamese government said it would not grant licenses to new entertainment businesses like karaoke bars, discotheques, and game rooms.