Police arrest entertainers and brokers for sex trafficking

Police rounded up a group of pimps who introduced destitute female entertainers to rich males in Korea and overseas and brokered prostitution. Among the entertainers who sold sex for 13 million won (10,800 U.S. dollars) to 35 million won (29,000 dollars) per night reportedly included a famed singer.

The international crime unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said on Friday that it arrested Kang (41), head of an entertainer management company, and his staff Park (34) for violating the law on prohibition of sex trafficking and related offenses. Police also booked without arrest nine others including four females engaged in prostitution, two men who bought sex, including a Korean American business man (45), and three others Kang hired as brokers.

According to police, Kang and others introduced four women including the entertainer identified as "B" (29) to the Korean American businessman based in Los Angeles from March to May last year. Kang brokered them, so that the four visited the U.S. and had sex with the businessman for 13 million won (10,800 dollars) to 35 million won (29,000 dollars) per occasion at a hotel.

Police said, “B" is a famed singer who even served as a goodwill ambassador for a state-run company in Korea. Kang is found to have lent several thousand dollars to B who was in debt, and exploited her situation to broker sex. B is also suspected of selling sex for 15 million won (12,400 dollars) to a stock investor identified by "C" (43) in Korea in July last year.

The entertainers received cash in person after prostitution, and gave about half of the money to Kang and others.

Meanwhile, Kang had served six months in prison and paid 32.8 million won (27,000 dollars) in forfeiture for brokering prostitution involving a number of entertainers, including actress Sung Hyun-ah in 2014. “We will expand our investigation because chances are high Kang could have brokered entertainers’ prostitution with more people,” a police source said.

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