"Toilet theme park" opens in S. Korea

A city in South Korea has added a new attraction to its cultural landscape - the world's first "Toilet Theme Park". The Restroom Cultural Park in the city of Suwon is proving a huge hit with locals and tourists alike. The latest tourist site is dedicated to the memory of former city mayor Sim Jae-duck, affectionately known as "Mr Toilet". He believed the toilet is a very important and under-appreciated aspect of world culture. Visitors to the park can admire its toilet-bowl-shaped exhibition hall as well as dozens of bronze statues in various toilet positions. They can even sit on Mr Kim's original toilet, which includes a full-length glass door that mists up when it is being used. Suwon has become well known for the promotion of toilet culture. The city attracts toilet-related artwork from around the world to its galleries. It famously hosts the Golden Poop Art Festival – a celebration of one of the calls of nature. The city also lists dozens of its own public toilets as tourist attractions on its website. Sim Jae-duck's own giant, toilet-shaped house, now a museum, should be the must-see for enthusiasts. Mr Sim's fascination with toilets supposedly began because he was born in the smallest room of his mother's house. He said in 2007: "The toilet…can save humankind from diseases [and is] a place for introspection. The toilet is also a central living place that possesses culture."