By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter

A club in southern Seoul is causing a stir for its laissez-faire attitude to sex ― members purportedly engage in group sex, swap partners, while others enjoy drinks and watch them.

According to Gangnam Police Station, the club ― ``Couple Theme Club'' ― located in Nonhyeon-dong, is open to exclusive members of its Web site, which has temporarily been shut down due to soaring traffic.

As news circulated online, some netizens are calling for a crackdown on such a ``decadent'' club. But police say this is legally groundless. Legal experts are also divided in judging the legitimacy of such a ``service.''

To enter the membership club, visitors must pass security guards who check their membership and search their belongings, a measure to prevent them from bringing in cameras or camcorders.

Its homepage says, ``We challenge all taboos related to sex'' and its guest boards are filled with messages speaking highly of its thrill-seeking atmosphere.

``I was thrilled,'' a comment read. ``I'm full of expectation of whom I will meet next time.''

The club owner underscored this is legal.

``According to lawyers, this is lawful because such behavior is in an isolated room and based on participants' free will,'' the owner said in an article posted on the Web site.

``This is to promote people's right to select a sex partner. Also we are working to hire lawyer in preparation for any legal disputes,'' the owner added.

Legal experts are divided over whether such business is breaking the law.

Prof. Cho Gook of Seoul National University's college of law said, ``If participants reach a consensus before partaking in such behavior, it's not subject to punishment. They could be punished for indecent exposure in a public space at best.''

Prof. Jeon Ji-hyun of Yonsei University's college of law said they can be punished because ``having sex in front of other people is against the law.''

pss@koreatimes.co.kr