The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) has ruled that the practice of public bathhouses charging only female customers separate fees for towels and soap constitutes gender discrimination and violates the right to equality.

According to the NHRCK, a complainant, identified as A, visited a bathhouse in the North Gyeongsang region in September last year and discovered that while towels and soap were provided free of charge to male customers, female customers were charged 500 won per towel and 700 won for disposable soap.

A filed a complaint with the NHRCK, arguing that this operational practice is discriminatory based on gender.

In response, the business defended its actions, stating, "Towels given to female customers are frequently lost, so this was an inevitable measure considering business losses from having to repurchase supplies."

The business also explained that under the Public Health Control Act, bathhouses are not legally obligated to provide supplies for free, and that other businesses nationwide operate in a similar manner.

As a result of an investigation by the NHRCK's Discrimination Correction Committee, it was found that 22 out of 27 bathhouses in the jurisdiction were indeed charging female customers an average of 500 won per towel separately.

The NHRCK pointed out, "Even assuming that the recovery rate of towels and soap is relatively lower in women's bathhouses, this is merely a problem caused by some individual users. Forcing all general female customers to bear the additional cost is a measure based on gender stereotypes or generalization."

The commission also noted that to prevent business losses, alternative measures could be considered, such as charging a deposit when renting towels or installing wall-mounted shared soap in the facilities.

Nevertheless, imposing a blanket separate fee exclusively on female customers constitutes discriminatory behavior that infringes upon the right to equality, the commission judged.

The NHRCK recommended that the owner of the establishment rectify the practice and advised the head of the local government, the mayor, to strengthen administrative guidance to prevent similar cases.

(File Photo: Yonhap News)