Why I'm proud to be (South) Korean

South Koreans sure do find unique ways of drawing the world's attention. But I have to say I'm glad because my next visit is sure to be more pleasant.

South Korean Leads Restroom Revolution

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 17, 2006

SUWON, South Korea (AP) -- Sim Jae-duck was born in a bathroom, which could explain why he is so interested in keeping them clean.

Now, the South Korean politician with those humble roots is leading a movement to beautify the world's toilets in a restroom revolution he insists should not be the target of jokes, but a serious effort that demands global attention -- touching on weighty issues from water usage to public health.

Sim is chairman of the World Toilet Association, which plans to hold its inaugural general assembly in Seoul in November 2007, seeking to join representatives of at least 50 nations to discuss the state of their public restrooms.

Koreans once believed that giving birth in bathrooms would mean children would enjoy long lives. When it was time for Sim's mother to deliver, she knew right where to go.
Having faced crowds who laugh at his title, Sim acknowledges people dislike speaking publicly about what they do behind closed bathroom doors.

''Many people realize that this is a serious issue, but I think they are hesitant to talk about it,'' the 67-year-old said Friday during a ''toilet tour'' for journalists around his native city of Suwon, which he represents in parliament and also has served as mayor.

Some 2 million people die each year -- including 4,500 children a day -- from diseases related to a lack of access to clean water, a problem faced by 40 percent of the world's population, the WTA said, citing statistics from the World Health Organization.

People spend an average of three years of their lives in bathrooms, according to the WTA, and half of personal water usage daily takes place there.

South Korea has not been previously known as a paradise for public restrooms. A Korean proverb suggests what mothers-in-law and outhouses have in common: the farther away, the better.

But the country was forced to undergo a toilet transformation before hosting the 1988 Olympics and co-hosting the 2002 World Cup with Japan.

''From very stinking, dirty facilities, the restrooms have become very clean, very hygienic -- it's actually become a cultural space,'' said Kim Woo-tae, public relations chief for the WTA.
South Korea is not resting on its success.

A vision of tomorrow's toilets is on show in Suwon, some 30 miles south of Seoul, where Sim's campaign to revamp restrooms earned him the nickname ''Mayor Toilet.''

Next to the city's landmark Hwaseong Fortress, a showcase bathroom boasts classical music activated by a ceiling motion sensor, displays of artificial flowers, sitting areas, solar-powered electronic ''occupied'' indicators on stall doors, and toilets with views of an enclosed garden.

''We want to hear Vivaldi, we want to see Picasso where we're in the restroom,'' Kim said.
Other public bathrooms in the city have similar features, each with a unique architectural design incorporating its surroundings. For example, a restroom at the Suwon World Cup Stadium is shaped like a giant soccer ball.

''I love coming here, this is part of my routine,'' said 72-year-old Paik Myo-sook, stepping out of the stall of one of her city's showpiece bathrooms. In her lifetime, she said she had seen bathroom facilities develop from a couple of boards placed over a hole to today's wonders. Sim said the idea for the worldwide campaign began for him with the country's World Cup bid, but became a passion as he realized that the lowly loo was in need of an international champion.

There is a rival bathroom body -- the World Toilet Organization, or WTO -- but Sim insists it lacks the backing of governments that he is trying to assemble under the WTA. The South Korean government is a strong supporter of WTA, pumping in some $5 million this year alone.