Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Court allows import of life-size sex dolls
Sex dolls at the Dreamdoll company in France / Reuters
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
A Seoul appellate court has allowed the import of life-size sex dolls into Korea, saying it does not violate the customs law that prohibits “morally degrading” items.
The decision is expected to affect the sex doll industry here because it opens the door to overseas manufacturers.
The Seoul High Court overturned a lower court's ruling on Monday, and ordered Incheon Main Customs to permit a Korean company to import silicone sex dolls.
After Customs confiscated the dolls in 2017, the company brought the issue to the court.
The lower court ruled in favor of Customs, saying the dolls would “degrade the dignity of human beings.”
But the appellate court said the dolls ― although they seemed vulgar― would not violate the law that bans the import of morally degrading products.
“State interference in private matters should be minimized to protect the freedom and dignity of individuals,” the court said. “Sexual devices should not be treated the same as other obscene materials.”
However, there is no law in Korea that regulates local makers of sex dolls. Team4U at Guri in Gyeonggi Province is the only known Korean manufacturer.