"Lower Income Means Less Cleanliness"... Swimming Pool Notice Draws Heavy Criticism for Crossing the Line

Controversy Over Discriminatory Remarks
in Swimming Pool Notice

Usage rules posted at a swimming pool. Screenshot from an online community.

A notice containing the phrase "The lower your income, the less clean your body is" was posted at a swimming pool in South Korea, drawing criticism from internet users.

On June 10, a set of swimming pool usage rules from a domestic pool was shared on an online community. The notice included statements such as: "A swimming pool is not a place to scrub off dirt," "Please shower thoroughly with soap before use," "Wear a swimming cap," and "After use, the turbidity of the pool reflects your income level. (Research paper) The lower your income, the less clean your body is."

The person who posted the notice commented, "I heard this is a private swimming pool in Gyeonggi Province. It's shocking. Such blatant hatred toward the poor. Disdain for poverty and class exclusion are embedded in every corner of society like this."

While most swimming pools have rules prohibiting scrubbing, washing clothes, and requiring swimming caps to maintain water quality and hygiene, this particular set of rules is being criticized for going beyond simple requests and containing discriminatory and hateful language.

Internet users responded, "It's common for pools to say they're not places to scrub off dirt, but mentioning income level crosses the line." "There may be people who don't shower at pools, but what does the cleanliness of the pool have to do with income level?" "I don't understand why that sentence had to be included," and similar reactions.