2 days ago
Thousands take to streets to claim LGBTQ+ rights in Seoul
Christian groups hold 'counter rallies' in protest; no reports of altercations between groups
Politicians, farmers, foreign envoys, celebrities, civic groups and Koreans from a wide range of groups across the country joined in as the 26th annual Seoul Queer Culture Festival took place in the heart of the city on Saturday.
Jung-gu, central Seoul, was packed with festival participants clad in rainbow-colored garments and flags as some 70 promotional booths were set up in streets usually filled with cars.
The event culminated with a pride parade from Jonggak Station to Euljiro-1-ga Station, passing city landmarks including the Myeongdong Cathedral and Seoul Square. They hoisted signs with this year's slogan "We will not stop."
While Catholic teaching in principal does not condone sex-same relationships, late Pope Francis in 2023 officially gave the go-ahead for priests to bless such couples.
The parade encountered a large-scale protest against the queer parade, particularly members of Christian communities who blasted gospel songs and held up signs that said, "Same-sex relationship is sin! God will judge!"
Police were dispatched adjacent to the protests to prevent possible altercations between the two groups, but no conflicts occurred outside of the jeers and boos.
Groups show comradery
As in previous years, embassies from major allies of Korea participated in this year's event, as did representatives of universities from across the country.
Kwon Young-guk, the former presidential candidate of the minor Democratic Labor Party, made an appearance at the event to show his support. He was the only candidate in the June 3 election that publicly pledged legislation to ban discrimination on the basis of sexuality.
Another notable celebrity at the scene was TV celebrity Hong Seok-cheon, the first openly-gay celebrity in Korea, who came out in 2000.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency had a booth in this year's Queer Festival for the first time, distributing promotional material on HIV prevention.
Another group that had its first booth in the annual event was the National Union of Mediaworkers, which distributed guidelines on reporting issues related to the LGBTQ+ community.
Human rights watchdog snubs invitation
Despite the protest from those within and outside of the organization, the National Human Rights Commission boycotted the event, breaking a streak of consecutive participations since 2017. The NHRC said it wanted to retain neutrality, as it will not attend neither of the largest LGBTQ+ festivals in the country and the anti-homosexual demonstrations despite being invited to both events.
The controversial move sparked protest, particularly since the incumbent chief of the NHRC Ahn Chang-ho had been subject to criticism over his comments against sexual minorities in the past.
Rep. Seo Mi-hwa of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea had denounced the decision as "comedic."
Regardless of the NHRC leadership's decision, an employee group of the agency operated a promotional booth at this year's event. Officials said it was to show that the human rights body's support for the sexual minority community.
The NHRC chief Ahn was appointed under ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, who had said in an interview that "gender discrimination on a structural level no longer exists."
Yoon's senior presidential secretary Kim Seong-hoi had come under fire after describing homosexuality as "a type of mental disease," after which he had submitted his resignation.
Lee had refrained from making direct pledges related to legislating the anti-discrimination law or stating his official position on the LGBTQ+ issue, although he said in a TV debate that it was "in the right direction."
But his election win led to optimism that the LGBTQ+ human rights issues would likely improve during his election, at least compared to his conservative predecessor
