FOR many Malaysians navigating city life, the idea of home has taken on a more personal meaning.
Then-lawmaker Lee Yong-joo displays a sex doll, while questioning officials during a parliamentary audit of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy at a session of the National Assembly’s Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee in Yeouido, Seoul.
- Photo: Newsis SEOUL: Despite the Supreme Court ruling in favour of sex doll imports in February, many members of the South Korean public and women’s rights groups alike questioned the top court’s decision that the products cannot be regarded as “obscene objects” defined by the law. The feminist Women’s Party on Wednesday held a press conference in front of the Supreme Court in Seoul, calling for a complete ban on the import and distribution of such dolls. Party representatives argued that the issue extends beyond trade and legality to encompass women’s safety and human rights. “Have the justices actually examined how these products are manufactured and distributed in Korea?” said Park Jin-sook, the party’s emergency committee chair. “Contrary to the court’s assessment, many real dolls explicitly depict female genitalia and incorporate features such as voice functions and selectable ‘obedience’ or ‘resistance’ modes.” South Korea’s top court finalised a decision in February in favor of an importer that had filed a lawsuit in 2020 against customs authorities after the clearance of its shipment was suspended. Both the first and second courts had ruled that adult products can be legally permitted when their use is confined to private spaces, a position the top court affirmed. While the authorities suspended clearances because the items could harm public morals, the courts stated that the customs authorities cannot rely solely on the external appearance of the product. Instead, they must examine factors such as the purpose of import, the intended users and the environment in which the products would be used. The Supreme Court ruled that the dolls being imported, while realistically depicting the female form, did not portray sexual organs in an excessively explicit manner or replicate the body of a minor under the age of 16. As such, they did not constitute “obscene objects” or items that seriously undermine human dignity, which would justify a ban under customs regulations. The ruling reaffirmed the court’s previous stance that the import of such products may be restricted only if they explicitly depict minors or display sexual features in a manner that gravely violates human dignity. The court also noted that even if a product is not inherently harmful, customs authorities may still consider restrictions if there is concrete evidence that it could be used in ways that threaten public morals outside private settings.Despite the legal clarity, the decision has sparked renewed controversy online and among civic groups. Discussions on social media platforms have sharply divided, with opponents arguing that sex dolls promote the commodification of women and distort perceptions of sexuality. Supporters claim that their use is a private matter and may serve as an alternative to illegal activities such as prostitution. Scholars say the controversy highlights the need for a more comprehensive societal debate beyond the narrow legal question of obscenity. Yoon Kim Ji-young, a professor of philosophy at Kyungpook National University, warned that advances in technology are making sex dolls increasingly lifelike. “With the addition of artificial intelligence features enabling basic conversation, these dolls aim to replicate real women to an extreme degree,” she said. “Like pornography, which can function as a form of sexual script in reality, the use of dolls that cannot engage in refusal, negotiation or communication may foster distorted perceptions of female sexuality.” - The Korea Herald/ANNChile exposes smuggling ring that shipped US$917m in stolen copper to Chinese buyersK-pop superband EXO makes its return to KL with a super concert at Bukit Jalil on June 20Singapore and Cambodia sign rice trade agreement for food securityBayern to face Villa in lucrative Hong Kong friendly, German champions to play in S. Korea too
Supreme Court Ruling Sex Doll Imports South Korean Public Women's Rights Groups Feminist Women's Party Human Rights Public Morals Commodification Of Women Artificial Intelligence Features
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