When I was growing up I remember when the made-for-TV movie, The Day After came out. We were terrified of the effects of a nuclear holocaust and since the Cold War was still going strong, we were convinced that it could actually happen. Little did most of know back then, how long in retrospect the fear had been mongered without the actual even ever happening.

Anyway, we’ve since become rather complacent that no one will ever actually use nuclear weapons. That is until the recent underground nuke testing done by North Korea. Now, even as global warming perhaps offers a more realistic disaster scenario, we’re back to worrying about the possibility of a nuclear winter even as we watch our icecaps melt.

In all the information about what dire consequences a nuclear explosion could have on humans and their environment, there’s one resulting shift in behavior in South Korea that seems a surprise after their northern neighbor’s nuclear testing. Fallout is making for a very different explosion occurring throughout bedrooms, motels and brothels throughout that nation.

According to the AP (10/26/06), a leading convenience store reported Thursday that condom sales rose to average 1,930 a day in the week following October 9, compared to an average of 1,508 a day for the year up to September 30. Although, sales dropped off to 1,772 a day during the week of October 16-21, it still represented a marked increase from the previous norm.

Another company claimed it also experienced increased sales of prophylactics selling US$3,721 worth of condoms a day during the week after the test. That’s a 14.8 per cent rise over last month’s sales figures as well as a 12 per cent rise in the weekly rate for the year up to September 30. Love motels, where many couples go to have special times away from crowded family homes have soaring bookings too.

There’s not scientific study to explain the phenomenon but apparently confronted with the threat of war, many South Koreans are turning to each other for comfort in the face of fear. Maybe, America could wipe out erectile dysfunction, if Canada would test some bombs.