Korean men accused of staying long-term in Laos for sex tourism, driving up rent prices

Lee Hyun-sook / Captured from CBS

A Korean civic group has raised concerns over reports that some Korean men are engaging in organized sex tourism in Laos. Some reportedly even rent long-term housing in major cities to facilitate the purchase of sex. The trend, activists warn, has become so widespread that it is reportedly pushing up local rent prices.

Lee Hyun-sook, head of the civic group Tacteen Naeil, which works to prevent sexual crimes against minors, revealed the findings during a CBS Radio interview on Thursday. Her group has been monitoring online chat rooms and Telegram channels that share information about prostitution.

According to Lee, Korean men have become major customers at sex establishments in Laos. “It’s not difficult to find entertainment venues there with signs written in Korean,” she said. One online review of such venues had over 31 million views, suggesting the scale of interest among Korean users, she added.

Messages shared in a Telegram chat room that distributes information on prostitution in Laos / Captured from CBS

Lee said more Korean men are now living in Laos for months at a time to purchase sex, often renting apartments for their stay. “Those with money rent very nice places,” she said. “Because Laos is relatively inexpensive, it’s become a place where many can live comfortably for a while — and with increased demand, rent prices naturally go up.”

Some men even appear to view this as part of their post-retirement lifestyle, according to the civic group. “We saw messages in online chat rooms where people say they’re considering moving to Laos after retirement to live more freely,” Lee said.

Beyond the ethical and legal implications of paying for sex, Lee expressed concern that some of these transactions may involve minors. “There was a report last year of a Chinese-run brothel where a seven-year-old child was found,” she said. “Prices vary depending on the age of the person involved.”

Lee emphasized the need for cultural change rather than apathy. “We shouldn’t see prostitution as something that just exists. It’s not enough to think, ‘I just won’t do it.’ We need a culture that rejects it altogether,” she said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.