By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter
The United States Congress has deleted South Korea from its list of nations described as favored destinations for sex tourists.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) included Korea in the list of sex tourist nations in its reports on June 20, 2007 and Jan. 10, 2008.
After some media criticized the report and South Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C. showed documents proving the report incorrect, the research center published a revised one after erasing South Korea from the list on Jan. 17
In its report, ``Trafficking in Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress,'' the CRS had said that the Philippines, Thailand, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong are ``some of the primary Asian destinations for organized sex tours.''
A crackdown on prostitution took effect in September 2004 and the number of brothels has drastically dropped in Korea.
The CRS criticized growing sex trafficking, especially in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Europe, Africa, and South America-Caribbean regions, but did not mention cases in North America.
kys@koreatimes.co.kr