[INTERVIEW] Lesbian politician speaks about life, political ambition

By Choi Ha-young

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.

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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."