South Korea has officially lifted a prohibition on the import of full-body sex dolls, putting an end to years of discussion over the extent to which the government should meddle with private life.
Although there are no rules or regulations prohibiting the import of sex dolls, hundreds, if not thousands, have been detained by customs officials, who cited a provision that prohibits the entry of commodities that “damage the country’s magnificent traditions and public moral.”
The majority of the courts agreed with the importers and ordered customs to release the sex dolls on the grounds that they are used in private settings and do not violate human dignity.
On Monday, the Korea Customs Service announced that it has begun enforcing a revised policy on the importation of life-size adult sex dolls. It stated that it has analyzed recent judicial decisions and advice from relevant government institutions, such as the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
The customs office stated that it will continue to prohibit the importation of sex toys resembling children or others depicting specific individuals. It stated that other nations, like the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, prohibit childlike sex toys.
Women’s rights and conservative organizations will undoubtedly reaffirm their opposition to the use of sex dolls, despite the fact that the decision underscores South Korea’s modest but growing efforts to limit official intrusion in private lives. They claim that they increase the sexual objectification of women and erode public morality.
Former head of a local company that imports sex dolls, Lee Sang-jin, applauded the customs service’s decision.
Lee stated, “It’s a respectable decision, but it came a bit late.” “We believed the state had restricted our citizens’ rights to pursue happiness and utilize (sex dolls) in their private lives. There are a variety of individuals that utilize (sex dolls), including those who are sexually alienated and those who require them for artistic purposes.”
Lee stated that South Korean authorities do not prohibit the sale of sex dolls created domestically, but their quality is generally inferior to those made abroad.
Lee stated that his old company has reclaimed more than twenty sex dolls from customs officials through litigation. After around two years of seizures by the customs agency, many of the rescued sex dolls became unusable, therefore the company has launched separate lawsuits seeking government reimbursement.
The customs service’s decision would allow importers to retrieve sex dolls housed in agency-managed government storage facilities.
Since 2018, South Korea has been the recipient of over one thousand sex dolls, according to customs officials.
»After lawsuits, South Korea lifts restriction on imported sex dolls«