TL;DR — 5 things to know before you go
- Flush toilet paper in public toilets. Since 1 January 2018, Korean law says public toilets must not keep a waste bin inside the stall, so used paper goes in the bowl. Wet wipes and sanitary products do not: use the sanitary bin in women's stalls.
- Most public toilets are free. Toilets in subway stations, parks, tourist sites and public buildings normally charge nothing. The law does allow paid toilets, so free is the norm rather than a legal guarantee.
- Subway toilets can be inside or outside the fare gates. On Seoul Metro, if you tap out to use one and tap back in at the same station with the same card within 15 minutes, the base fare is waived once.
- To find one, search 화장실 or 개방화장실 in Naver Map or KakaoMap. Seoul's official Smart Seoul Map also has a public toilet layer.
- Bidet buttons: 세정 (wash), 비데 (front wash on many panels), 건조 (dry), 수압 (pressure), 정지 (stop). Panels differ by brand, so start with low pressure.
Finding a Toilet in Korea
Korea has a dense network of public toilets, and most cost nothing to use. Here is what to expect and how to find one.
- · Free is the norm. Toilets in subway stations, parks, tourist sites, bus terminals and public buildings normally charge nothing. The Public Toilets Act does define a paid toilet (유료화장실), so a fee is legally possible, but free toilets are what you will normally find.
- · Open toilets (개방화장실). These are toilets in public-agency buildings that are open to everyone, or toilets in other buildings that the local district has designated for public use. You will see the word on signs and in map search results.
- · Subway stations: some toilets are outside the fare gates, some are inside, and some stations have both. Check the station signs before you tap in.
- · Seoul Metro 15-minute re-entry: if the toilet is outside the gates, tap out, use it, and tap back in at the same station with the same transit card within 15 minutes. The base fare is waived once. Seoul Metro has run this since October 2023. When Seoul announced the scheme in 2023, single-journey tickets and commuter passes were excluded.
- · Finding one: search 화장실 (toilet) or 개방화장실 in Naver Map or KakaoMap. In Seoul, the city's Smart Seoul Map (map.seoul.go.kr) has a 공중화장실 (public toilets) layer. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety also publishes the national public toilet list as open data on data.go.kr.
Note: earlier versions of this guide pointed to a government toilet-finder app with cleanliness ratings. We could not confirm that such an app exists, so we no longer recommend one.
The Tissue Rule Changed in 2018
Many older travel tips say Korea makes you put used paper in a bin. In public toilets, the rule has been the opposite since 2018.
⚠ Flush the paper, bin the rest
Since 1 January 2018, Article 7 of the Enforcement Decree of the Public Toilets Act says public toilets must not keep a waste bin inside a toilet stall, so used toilet paper goes into the bowl. Women's stalls must have a sanitary product bin (위생용품 수거함). A later amendment lets stalls with an accessible toilet or a baby changing table keep a bin.
The rule covers public toilets. A small restaurant or an old private building may still have a bin next to the toilet and a sign asking you to use it. If there is a sign, follow it. Never flush wet wipes (물티슈) or sanitary products anywhere.
Signs to know: 휴지는 변기에 버려 주세요 = please put paper in the toilet | 휴지는 휴지통에 버려 주세요 = please put paper in the bin | 위생용품 수거함 = sanitary bin | 물티슈 = wet wipes. Note that 휴지 means both toilet paper and waste paper, and 휴지통 means waste bin.
Paper may be outside the stall. Some toilets have one shared dispenser near the sinks or the entrance instead of a roll in each stall. Korail did this at some of its stations, as reported in January 2024. Take paper before you go in, and carry pocket tissue. Convenience stores sell it.
Bidet Controls Explained
Labels and layouts vary by brand and model, and many panels also use icons. These are the Korean labels you are most likely to see.
| Korean Label | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 세정 | Wash (rear) | The main wash button. |
| 비데 / 여성세정 | Front wash | On many Korean panels, 비데 is the front wash, not the rear. |
| 건조 | Air dry | Warm air. Patting dry with paper is fine too. |
| 수압 | Water pressure | + / − or a level scale. Start low. |
| 수온 | Water temperature | Warm / cool setting. |
| 변좌온도 | Seat temperature | Heated seat setting. |
| 정지 / 멈춤 | Stop | Stops the water or the dryer. |
| 노즐세척 / 노즐청소 | Nozzle clean | Rinses the nozzle. |
First-time tip: turn 수압 down before you press wash, because the panel may keep the last user's setting. Press 정지 before you stand up.
How to Use a Korean Bidet — Step by Step
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1Sit down normallyThe nozzle stays tucked away until you press a button.
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2Find the control panelIt is usually on an arm beside the seat or on the wall next to the toilet. Some have a wall remote.
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3Lower 수압 (pressure) firstSet the pressure to low before you start, then adjust once the water is running.
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4Press 세정 for a rear washPress 비데 or 여성세정 instead for a front wash.
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5DryPress 건조 for warm air, or pat dry with toilet paper.
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6Press 정지 (stop), then flushStop the water or dryer before you stand, flush the paper, and wash your hands.
What to Expect by Location
Hotels
Common
Bidets are common in Korean hotel rooms, but not guaranteed in every guesthouse or budget room. If it matters to you, check the room photos when you book.
Subway Stations
Basic
Basic facilities. Don't count on a bidet. Paper may be at a shared dispenser near the sinks, and the toilet may be inside or outside the fare gates.
Restaurants & Cafés
Varies
Newer buildings usually follow the flush rule. Small or older places may have a bin and a sign. The toilet may be in the building's shared hallway, so ask staff for directions or a key or code.
Parks & Tourist Sites
Basic
Basic public toilets. Bring pocket tissue in case the dispenser is empty.
Malls & Department Stores
Varies
Usually larger, newer facilities, often with family or accessible toilets. Some stalls have bidets, but check each one.
Squat toilets (화변기): still found in some older buildings and rural places. You usually face the raised hood end, though designs and installations can differ. A sit-down Western toilet is called 양변기 or 좌변기.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Putting paper in a bin in a public toiletPublic toilet stalls should have no waste bin. Flush the paper. Only follow a bin sign where one is posted.
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Flushing wet wipes or sanitary productsThey don't break down and can block the pipes. Use the sanitary bin in women's stalls, or a bin outside the stall.
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Starting at full pressureThe panel may keep the last user's setting. Turn 수압 down first.
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Paying twice for a subway toiletIf the toilet is outside the gates on Seoul Metro, tap back in at the same station with the same card within 15 minutes and the base fare is waived once.
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Walking into the wrong side남 (男) = men, 여 (女) = women. Entrances are often side by side, so check the sign before you go in.
Sources and Limits
- · National Law Information Center: Enforcement Decree of the Public Toilets Act, Article 7 (current text, last amended 16 November 2023), checked October 2026.
- · National Law Information Center: Public Toilets Act, Article 2 (definitions of open toilet and paid toilet), checked October 2026.
- · Ministry of the Interior and Safety press release, 13 December 2017: bins removed from public toilet stalls from 1 January 2018.
- · Yonhap News, 18 October 2026: Seoul Metro 15-minute re-entry (formal since 7 October 2023).
- · Seoul Metropolitan Government (Seoul Media Hub), 28 June 2023: re-entry scheme for prepaid and postpaid transit cards only.
- · Newsis, 10 January 2024: shared toilet paper dispensers at some Korail stations.
- · Smart Seoul Map public toilet layer; Ministry of the Interior and Safety public toilet dataset on data.go.kr.
- · Bidet labels and steps are general guidance. Models differ, so follow the panel in front of you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in public toilets. Since 1 January 2018, public toilets may not keep a waste bin inside the stall, so paper goes in the bowl. Don't flush wet wipes or sanitary products. In a small or old private building, follow any sign that asks you to use a bin.
Most are. Toilets in subway stations, parks, tourist sites and public buildings normally charge nothing. The law allows paid toilets, so free is the norm rather than a legal guarantee.
Only if the toilet is inside the fare gates. On Seoul Metro, if you tap out to use a toilet and tap back in at the same station with the same card within 15 minutes, the base fare is waived once.
Search 화장실 or 개방화장실 in Naver Map or KakaoMap. In Seoul, the Smart Seoul Map has a public toilet layer. Subway stations, department stores and public buildings are good places to try.
No. Bidets are common in hotels and newer buildings but not guaranteed, and basic public toilets often have none. The usual labels are 세정 (wash), 비데 (front wash on many panels), 건조 (dry), 수압 (pressure) and 정지 (stop).