South Korea has officially removed the prohibition on importing full-body sex dolls, bringing an end to years of discussion about the government’s role in regulating personal behavior.
While there are no laws or regulations specifically prohibiting the import of sex dolls, customs officials had seized hundreds or possibly thousands of them, citing a clause in the law that bans the import of items that “harm the country’s beautiful traditions and public moral.” However, importers challenged these seizures in court and many judges ruled in their favor, stating that the use of sex dolls occurs in private settings and does not diminish human dignity.
The Korea Customs Service announced on Monday that it is now enforcing a revised guideline for the import of life-size adult sex dolls. In making this decision, the service took into consideration recent court rulings and input from relevant government agencies such as the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
The customs service stated that it will continue to prohibit the import of child-like sex dolls and dolls that represent certain individuals. It mentioned that other countries such as the United States, Australia, and the U.K. also ban child-like sex dolls.
This decision reflects South Korea’s gradual steps towards limiting state involvement in personal matters, but it is likely that some women’s rights and conservative groups will speak out against the use of sex dolls, claiming that they contribute to the sexual objectification of women and harm public moral.
Carenshare Co., a South Korean firm that imports sex dolls, expressed disappointment over the customs service’s lifting of the import ban, stating that it has caused significant financial losses for the company and wasted taxpayer money on lawsuits with importers. In a statement, the company called for reform of regulations that negatively impact the economy.
Lee Sang-jin, who heads one of the company’s online shopping malls, commented that the decision by the customs service is “reasonable” but “a bit late,” and argued that the ban had restricted people’s rights to seek happiness and use sex dolls in private. Lee pointed out that there are many different types of people who use sex dolls, including those who are sexually alienated or those who use them for artistic purposes.
