By Bahk Eun-ji
Thailand has warned the country’s traditional masseuses about working in South Korea, where providing a massage service is generally illegal.
Under Korea’s medical law, providing therapeutic massage for business is exclusively reserved for blind people or nationally certified professionals.
According to The Nation, a daily English newspaper in Thailand, the Department of Special Investigation issued the warning after eight Koreans were arrested for allegedly forcing Thai women to work as prostitutes.
The suspects were charge with human trafficking after a joint operation by Korean police, Thai Police and the Korean embassy to Thailand.
In August, a Korean man, surname Kim, 39, said to be a key member of the criminal network, was arrested for human trafficking in Thailand.
He allegedly lured Thai women to work in massage parlors in Korea, and forced them into prostitution.
The Thai government has warned women to be careful when using social media, because this was how Kim allegedly recruited women.
On Friday, Thai authorities also arrested a woman for allegedly recruiting women by giving false information on social media about massage jobs in Korea.
The suspect allegedly offered to help the women get job at respectable massage parlor in Korea, plus free accommodation.