South Korean pool-goer makes waves online in pink swimsuit amid record heatwave

An adult man wearing a pink women’s one-piece swimsuit at a South Korean swimming pool has sparked debate online.The photo of the man circulated on social media Sunday with a caption describing a visitor as a public nuisance at the Han River pool in Seoul. The image shows the man from behind wearing a pink swimsuit and a matching swim cap as visitors cool off during a summer heatwave.The original poster questioned why a man was wearing a women’s swimsuit at the pool, adding that they were startled upon arriving.Another commenter who claimed to have been at the pool wrote that police escorted the person out. However, the reported police response could not be independently confirmed.Swimmers cool off at Ttukseom Hangang Park in Seoul’s Seongdong district on July 12. Photo: The Korea TimesCommenters were divided, with some criticising the person’s appearance and expressing discomfort. Others defended the choice, saying the clothing was a matter of personal freedom and that observers could simply ignore it.The Seoul-metropolitan-government" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="177874" data-entity-type="organization">Seoul Metropolitan Government operates six Hangang Park facilities, including the Yeouido and Ttukseom swimming pools and the Jamsil, Gwangnaru, Nanji and Yanghwa water parks. The facilities opened June 19 and drew more than 260,000 visitors as of July 26, according to the city.Seoul’s public pools have recently come under scrutiny for sexual harassment and illegal filming, as well as disruptive behaviour such as drinking and smoking, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily.The city says it would increase banners and public announcements to help prevent illegal filming while increasing patrols by public safety officers. The 136 real-time monitoring surveillance cameras that were installed this year will also be put to use.People splash water in an outdoor swimming pool along the Han River in Seoul on Friday. Photo: ReutersSouth Korea’s heat record has been broken three times over the past week, with the latest all-time high set at 42.5 degrees Celsius (106.5 degrees Fahrenheit) in the city of Yangsan on Sunday, Agence France-Presse reported.The whole of Seoul was under the highest-level “severe heatwave warning” alert on Tuesday, with temperatures forecast to soar again close to 40 degrees. “Extreme, life-threatening heat is forecast,” the weather agency said in a statement on Tuesday.While the heatwave persists, authorities have advised residents to avoid outdoor activities, especially between 2pm and 5pm, and to rest in a shaded area or shelter.Seoul is also spraying water on 1,982km (1,230 miles) of roads using 205 water trucks to ease the urban heat island effect, with trucks running up to six times a day in high-traffic areas when a heatwave warning is in effect.Further ReadingAdditional reporting by SCMP’s Asia desk