Netizens abuzz over false rumors of 'politically correct' skirt-wearing fire exit signs

South Koreans were abuzz over the weekend over an eventually debunked rumor that the government is mulling a fire exit sign depicting a long-haired woman wearing a skirt as a supposedly politically correct move, a rumor which officials denied in a joint statement.

Earlier Friday, some media outlets reported that the Ministry of Interior and Safety was reviewing whether to revamp the design of conventional emergency exit signs, which depict a generic image of a person exiting a door. The report sparked complaints that it was a waste of tax money, and that depicting a woman with long hair and skirt was, in itself, sexist.

Amid the controversy, the Interior Ministry and the National Fire Agency released a joint statement explaining that the rumors were completely false, and that no such discussion had even taken place. Officials said that the rumored design was not made by the government and added that even if the longstanding design was to be changed, it would be applied on the newly-installed emergency exits instead of replacing the existing ones.

While the rumors were quickly squashed, it sparked uproar online, including from political circles and women's rights groups, the latter of whom were wrongly pinpointed in the initial report as demanding such change.

Rep. Her Euna, formerly of the People Power Party and currently among those preparing the launch of a new conservative party, said the government "shouldn't mess around with people's taxes" and decried it as a "typical elitist political move” that doesn’t involve the people.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)