Australian taxpayers were slugged thousands of dollars for YouTube videos promoting businesses in South Korea in what has been described as a "crazy" waste of money.

Key points: The videos were posted weeks before a Government-wide ban on social influencers

The videos were posted weeks before a Government-wide ban on social influencers A Labor MP said the videos were pointless and did not promote anything that would help the Australian economy

A Labor MP said the videos were pointless and did not promote anything that would help the Australian economy The two videos have been viewed about 80,000 times

In the latest curious example of the Government's use of social media influencers, the clips highlight cafes in the capital Seoul that serve Australian-style food, along with a surf shop in the country's south.

In one video, a fish burger is passed off as traditional Australian food, while a flat white is sold to customers as a 'Cafe London'.

In the other post, YouTube star HojuSara said she did not know why she was asked to go surfing with the Australian Ambassador, who was also not a surfer.

"First time surfing would you believe," Ambassador James Choi said in the video, while HojuSara said she had surfed "maybe once or twice when I was young".

The successful YouTuber also visited a surf store run by a man who lived in Australia for eight years.

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"When you watch them, it's pointless," Labor MP Matt Keogh said.

"It doesn't seem to promote anything that would help the Australian economy."

The videos showed cafes in Seoul that serve Australian-style food. ( Supplied: YouTube )

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spent $13,242 for the YouTube videos, which combined have attracted about 80,000 views.

A DFAT official said the campaign promoted "an image of Australia that is multicultural, modern and entrepreneurial as well as an attractive study destination".

The clips were uploaded weeks before a Government-wide ban was slapped on the use of social influencers in August.

In July, it emerged the Health Department had used an influencer who also promoted alcohol brands, along with another Instagrammer who had previously made homophobic slurs.

Which Australian favourites are on the menu?

The video passes off a Fish burger off as traditional Australian food. ( Supplied: YouTube )

Cafe operator Kim Minsung, dressed in a blue shirt featuring an Australian flag and the word 'AUSTRALIA' across the front, makes Australian-Korean fusion cuisine.

His fish burger with jalapenos and cheddar cheese "tastes exactly like what you would get in Australia," HojuSara said.

"I love fish burgers so much," she said.

"I never thought I would be able to get an Australian burger like this in Korea."

Cafe operator Minsung Kim sells an Australian-style fish burger that HojuSara did not expect to find in Korea. ( Supplied: YouTube )

Another cafe served smashed avocado, vegemite, pavlova and lamingtons.

HojuSara is the online name of Australian woman Sara Holmes, formerly of Brisbane, who has about 150,000 subscribers on YouTube and also has strong following on Instagram.

Australian YouTube influencer HojuSara was paid $13,000 for two videos. ( Supplied: YouTube )

"It's not promoting Australian business, it's not promoting people travelling to Australia for business or for tourism — the point of these videos is left missing," Mr Keogh said.

"It doesn't even promote Australian businesses that are in Korea."

DFAT said Australia's embassy had initiated the campaign.

The ABC understands diplomats worked on the content and narrative for each video with Ms Holmes before they were made.

All the business operators interviewed in the clips have lived in Australia.

The embassy wanted to highlight graduates of Australian education institution, and three of the business operators previously studied in Sydney.

South Korea is Australia's fourth largest trading partner and the Abbott government signed a free trade agreement with the nation in 2014.