Seongdong District in Seoul announced on the 11th that it will provide toilet paper to private building owners who open their restrooms in the Seongsu-dong area.

The decision reflects the view that building owners who open private restrooms for the convenience of visitors to the Seongsu-dong area and even stock them with toilet paper may face a financial burden.

Seongsu-dong is a leading ‘hot place’ in Seoul that continually draws domestic and international tourists and visitors. However, as visitor numbers have increased, the management burden has also grown for private building owners who have voluntarily opened their restrooms.

Reflecting on-the-ground feedback, Seongdong District decided to provide special support for privately opened restrooms in the Seongsu-dong area that have particularly high usage.

It will provide two additional boxes of toilet paper per quarter to 15 privately opened restrooms in the area, and for six locations in the Ttukseom·Seongsu station areas where usage is especially concentrated, restroom operators will receive an additional monthly management and operation subsidy of 100,000 won.

The toilet paper consists of large 300-meter rolls, with 16 rolls per box.

Seongdong District will also regularly inspect the cleanliness of privately opened restrooms and will continuously review the scope of support, taking into account suggestions from operators.

A district official said, “Open restrooms operated through voluntary cooperation from the private sector are valuable spaces that convey the warm goodwill of the city to visitors to Seongdong District,” and added, “We will continue to look closely at even the smallest voices from the field so that we can make Seongdong a place where residents, merchants, and visitors all want to stay.”