Korea liberalizes rules on the importation of sex dolls

Korea Customs Service started allowing the import of full-body of sex dolls on Monday.

Full-body sex dolls are seen at a warehouse in Seoul on Feb. 24, 2021. [NEWS1]

Korea Customs Service started allowing the import of full-body sex dolls on Monday.

The National Solidarity against Sexual Exploitation of Women, also known as the National Solidarity, released a statement on Tuesday saying the custom agency's decision to permit the import of sex dolls “will arouse hate toward women and trivialize sex crimes.”

The decision to allow the import of sex dolls “ignores the social impact that sex dolls would affect people to view women’s bodies as merely sexual objects,” according to the group.

It also noted many nightclub-like places allowing people to enjoy their time with sex dolls were immediately created as soon as the customs agency made the announcement.

“The country’s argument that it should not intervene in the matter as sex dolls are used in private life indicates how the country is not taking its social responsibility,” the group said in a statement.

As sex dolls produced domestically are made and sold without any specific restrictions, it also asked the government to come up with measures related to the production and distribution of sex dolls in the country.

The Korea Customs Service announced the permitting of the import of full-body sex dolls on Monday, three years after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the lifting of the restrictions.

Dolls depicting specific people and minors based on height, weight and face will be banned.

Those with electronic features, such as heating and audio features, will require further safety inspection.

BY JANG GU-SEUL [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]