“Ugly Koreans” is a media-coined term referring to people caught buying sex or committing crimes overseas. Officials in South Korea recently proposed a foreign travel ban for citizens who have committed misdeeds overseas, in an attempt to protect the nation's image. The proposed travel ban on “ugly Koreans” was contained in a recent foreign ministry report to the presidential office, ministry officials said.

“In case their illegal or shameful acts are reported overseas, we are planning to restrict their travel to foreign countries for a certain period of time,” a ministry official said. South Korean laws already say that citizens can be denied passports for up to three years if they have been expelled from a foreign state for violating the law. In July 2005 Vietnamese television reported that police detained 28 South Koreans in a single day for buying sex at a Korean-owned salon. Police in Shanghai arrested 17 South Koreans in February for involvement in running a “host bar” where men were hired for sexual services. Authorities are planning to step up a separate campaign to educate people about internationally accepted etiquette.