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| A rights activist for sexual minorities holding a rainbow flag approaches presidential frontrunner Moon Jae-in at the National Assembly in Seoul, April 26, to protest Moon's anti-gay comment during his election campaign event . /AP-Yonhap |
Yoo says Moon Jae-in's comments demoralizes sexual minorities
By Kim Se-jeong
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| Yoo Kyeol |
Last week, she was among 13 detained after protesting the leading presidential candidate Moon Jae-in of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) for his statements against sexual minorities.
In an interview with The Korea Times, Yoo said the implication of Moon's comment is far greater than he thought.
"Our identity was denied so publicly by the leading candidate. Moon didn't realize how much impact his comment can have. This can pressure people to even take their own lives. I've lost many people around me. Many who took their lives experienced a moment of denial and it was too much to bear."
During a nationally televised presidential debate on April 25, Moon, a former human rights lawyer, said, "I don't like homosexuality." He was responding to one of his conservative opponents Hong Joon-pyo of the Liberty Korea Party (LKP) who wanted Moon to confirm his opinion.
"I can't believe Moon was ever a human rights lawyer," she said. "He could have just refused to answer. That way, we wouldn't be so upset."
Following the debate, Yoo also saw hate speech against homosexuals inundating the internet. "People now have no reason to be reserved because Moon said it already."
The activist said the surprise protest was inevitable. "We had to show our displeasure."
Yoo and her fellow activists went to the National Assembly on April 26 where Moon was supposed to speak and one stood facing Moon holding a rainbow flag.
"What appeared to be his bodyguard tried to drag her away, and we jumped in to help her," she said.
When the confrontation was over, Yoo and her colleagues moved aside to grab their belongings and depart, and that's when police surrounded them.
"Suddenly the police came, saying we violated the law," she said.
According to the Assembly and Demonstration Act, any assembly is banned within 100 meters of the National Assembly perimeter.
Yoo was among 13 taken to a van and driven to three different police stations. Yoo, along with five others, was brought to the Yeongdeungpo Police Station. She and two others were put into a room. They refused to talk and answer questions from the police. "Because we did nothing wrong," Yoo said. But she was able to use her cellphone.
At one point, Rep. Park Ju-min from Moon's DPK came to meet them. "He flattered and tried to persuade us to believe Moon didn't intend to hurt us," she said. "It was disgusting."
Altogether she spent eight hours there. Yoo could have stayed overnight but that meant the police would confiscate her phone. "Originally, we wanted to stay longer," she said. "But we decided to collaborate with the police investigation and be released because we thought it would be better to fight on the outside."
The incident changed her stance on the upcoming election.
"I didn't plan to vote for Moon. I didn't expect much from him anyway," she said. "But what he said can mean a retreat for campaigns for sexual minorities. I am not a big fan of Sim Sang-jung, but I will vote for her because she's been a strong supporter."
Sim from the Justice Party is the only one among the leading five candidates to publicly support an anti-discrimination law, which is strongly opposed by Christian groups. Moon only said he would seek social consensus on the issue during his presidency. So did Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party. Yoo Seong-min of the minor conservative Bareun Party and Hong opposed the law as well.
The Korean military recently filed criminal charges against 32 soldiers for their sexual identity ― another social flashpoint Yoo says threatens sexual minorities here.
"We simply have to continue to fight until we're recognized," she said.
