South Korean arrested for luring Thai women into prostitution

BANGKOK, Aug 18 (TNA) -- A South Korean man was arrested for allegedly luring Thai women into forced prostitution and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) warned that the massage profession in South Korea was reserved only for locals with disabilities. DSI deputy director-general Songsak Raksaksakul said Kim Hyoung Joon was arrested on Aug 17 due to information from two victims whom South Korean police had rescued on Feb 23. According to Pol Col Songsak, the Thai victims had been told they could become Thai traditional masseuses in South Korea and earn high income, but when they arrived there, they were forced into prostitution. On Feb 23 South Korean police saved the victims and arrested eight South Korean suspects for allegedly trafficking in persons. A victim said that a Thai person had offered her a massage job and Mr Kim brought victims to South Korea and forced them into prostitution. Three Thai people joined his gang and one of them was Mr Kim’s girlfriend who was looking for good looking victims through Facebook and Line application. The DSI is seeking warrants for their arrest. Pol Col Songsak also said that DSI believed there were more Thai victims but they were too reluctant to meet the DSI. He said that massage in South Korea was a profession reserved only for Korean citizens with disabilities. Mr Kim had been in Thailand for about three years and overstayed his visa. He was wanted by South Korean police and blacklisted by police in many countries for human trafficking. (TNA)