The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Discussions on raising age for free subway rides gain momentum

  • 3

    Families of Itaewon crowd stampede victims clash with police over installation of memorial altar

  • 5

    US reaffirms nuclear security assurances to South Korea

  • 7

    Families of Itaewon victims on collision course with Seoul City

  • 9

    William Franklin Sands' diplomatic and undiplomatic views of late Joseon

  • 11

    Will KT, POSCO replace CEOs as Shinhan, Woori did?

  • 13

    Korea as sublime, strange, and familiar

  • 15

    TXT, Le Sserafim top Oricon album and singles chart

  • 17

    Chinese spy balloon 'transits' Latin America after first craft flies over US

  • 19

    Blinken scraps rare China trip over alleged spy balloon

  • 2

    INTERVIEWTati Gabrielle, actress of Korean, African-American descent, feels proud of her heritage

  • 4

    2-year work experience prerequisite lifted for foreign shipyard welders

  • 6

    China expresses 'strong dissatisfaction' over US shooting down balloon

  • 8

    Opposition party takes to streets to protest prosecution probes into leader

  • 10

    Korean American Rep. Young Kim named chair of House Indo-Pacific subcommittee

  • 12

    US remains committed to using full range of capabilities to defend S. Korea: Blinken

  • 14

    US shoots down suspected Chinese spy balloon with a single missile

  • 16

    Wang Yi urges US to 'avoid misjudgment' over balloon controversy

  • 18

    President Yoon at odds with politician who helped him win election

  • 20

    Musk didn't defraud investors with 2018 Tesla tweets

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Mon, February 6, 2023 | 21:13
Politics
INTERVIEWLesbian politician speaks about life, political ambition
Posted : 2017-07-14 17:08
Updated : 2017-07-16 11:18
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Choi Ha-young

Jeong Hye-yeon
Jeong Hye-yeon
Jeong Hye-yeon, who came out as a lesbian years ago, has been elected as a deputy chief of the minor opposition Justice Party.

It is the first known instance of a sexual minority politician joining the leadership of a political party in South Korea.

Sexual minority groups hailed Jeong's election, expressing hopes she will help reduce prejudices and disadvantages facing them.

"As a politician, my main goal is to promote diversity," the 29-year-old Jeong told The Korea Times, Friday, in her first media interview since her victory early this week.

"Not only homosexuals, but heterosexuals actively took part in the sexual minorities committee of the Justice Party and we socialized together, not asking each others' sexual orientations," she said.

Jeong became one of the three deputy chiefs of the party, earning 1,667 votes, equivalent to 13.74 percent of the support at the party convention.

"It was such a surprising result for me because I'm not in the mainstream," she said. "I think my stance to pursue diversity and mutual respect, between party members with distinct ideologies, appealed to many party members. Even if I am a lesbian, I've always kept in touch with those opposing same-sex marriage, and persuaded them to join the committee. To make this party bigger and broader, I pledged to remove barriers between citizens and existing party members."

The Justice Party, formerly led by the party's presidential candidate Sim Sang-jung, emerged in the presidential election in May to prominence. The party with six seats became a serious political player with its forward-looking welfare policy and proactive advocacy for social minorities, including homosexuals.

[INTERVIEW] Pastor is patron for sexual minorities
[INTERVIEW] Pastor is patron for sexual minorities
2017-08-02 16:45  |  Law & Crime

When then-leading candidate Moon Jae-in said, "I don't like homosexuality," Sim chided him saying, "This is not a matter of approval." After her determined remark, the party attracted a number of new members, primarily youths.

Now, the party is challenged to broaden its popular appeal with the goal to become the largest opposition party in 2020. To achieve that goal, Jeong wants to make this party a "playground" for youths, rather than an inaccessible political group.

"After the presidential election in May, a sense of urgency has been rampant in the party. Many party members including myself think the party should grow bigger and embrace diverse members," Jeong said. For this, she vowed to abolish the party's "disciplinary committee," a legacy of a radical movement from the nation's dictatorship era. "Now, the party should speak for those who gathered to oust former President Park Geun-hye."

The young politician puts forward "youth labor" to enhance homosexuals' working condition. She said the young generation's economic crisis has its origins in the hatred against homosexuals prevailing in online communities.

"One of my homosexual colleague activists, who lost her connection with her family, was driven to the verge of bankruptcy. To survive, she worked nights and studied by day. One day, she quit everything, because she couldn't get a well-paying job with her homosexual identity."

Through experiences like these, Jeong recognized labor is a core foundation to sustain sexual minorities' lives and their movements to be endorsed by society. And, the progressive party was a platform for her to drive for social equality.

"I was born in a farmer's family. My parents were always suffering from mountainous debt, and they couldn't afford to provide private education. My English score was poor and I blamed my meager family background."

Eight years ago, she joined the New Progressive Party — predecessor of the Justice Party — in protest of conservative President Lee Myung-bak's policies. Once she joined the nonmainstream party, Jeong learned her poverty was not the fault of her mother and father.

"At the party's regional community, I met sexual minorities for the first time in my life. Before then, I had refused to admit my sexual orientation. After meeting them, I could accept my identity and come out."

Now as the party's deputy leader, she hopes to meet Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hong Joon-pyo, who asked about the "pros and cons" of sexual minorities in a televised debate during the presidential election. "I am looking forward to meeting him," she said with a laugh. "He openly said he would punish homosexuals severely. I wonder what he would say in front of me."

Lee Na-ra, secretary general of Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea, expressed her hopes for Jeong's impact down the road. "This is much to be welcomed. As a progressive opposition party, I hope the Justice Party can pave the way for LGBTs' political participation," Lee said.

"In addition to passage of the Anti-Discrimination Act, there are many challenges to revise the Military Personnel Management Act and legalize homosexual marriages. The Justice Party has pushed for such moves. I wish the party can keep up their activities in support of LGBT rights."



Emailhayoung.choi@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
12-year work experience prerequisite lifted for foreign shipyard welders 2-year work experience prerequisite lifted for foreign shipyard welders
2Families of Itaewon victims on collision course with Seoul City Families of Itaewon victims on collision course with Seoul City
3President Yoon at odds with politician who helped him win election President Yoon at odds with politician who helped him win election
49 fishermen, including 2 Vietnamese, missing in boat incident 9 fishermen, including 2 Vietnamese, missing in boat incident
5LG publishes Korea's first group-level net zero report LG publishes Korea's first group-level net zero report
6Conflict reignites over relocation of POSCO Holdings to Pohang Conflict reignites over relocation of POSCO Holdings to Pohang
7FSC approves security token transactions in Korea FSC approves security token transactions in Korea
8[VIDEO] Filipina K-pop idol and K-drama actress react to stereotypes about the Philippines VIDEOFilipina K-pop idol and K-drama actress react to stereotypes about the Philippines
9Hyundai Motor's technology helps team become WTCR double champion Hyundai Motor's technology helps team become WTCR double champion
10Tasks lie ahead for Woori's next chairman nominee picked amid controversy Tasks lie ahead for Woori's next chairman nominee picked amid controversy
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Tati Gabrielle, actress of Korean, African-American descent, feels proud of her heritage INTERVIEWTati Gabrielle, actress of Korean, African-American descent, feels proud of her heritage
2TXT, Le Sserafim top Oricon album and singles chart TXT, Le Sserafim top Oricon album and singles chart
3Reclusive fashion icon Martin Margiela makes comeback as artist with eerie wonderland of human bodies Reclusive fashion icon Martin Margiela makes comeback as artist with eerie wonderland of human bodies
4Decoding success factors of NewJeans: How is it different? Decoding success factors of NewJeans: How is it different?
5The Boyz member Hyunjae apologizes for wearing hat with Rising Sun flag design The Boyz member Hyunjae apologizes for wearing hat with Rising Sun flag design
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group