By Lee Kyung-min
Seven in 10 Korean homosexuals in their 20s hide their sexual identity from their parents, a study showed Tuesday.
According to a survey conducted by Seoul National University (SNU) human ecology major Jo Nam-seok of 103 homosexuals in their 20s, 68.9 percent of respondents said they have not told their parents about their sexual orientation.
The study was presented during the 2014 Family and Children Studies Forum at SNU.
Those interviewed remained silent in anticipation that their parents would disapprove, especially their fathers.
For a comparison, Jo asked 103 homosexuals and 168 heterosexuals about the level of psychological support they receive from their parents.
From fathers, on a scale of one to four ― with four being the highest ― the former averaged 2.46, whereas the latter averaged 2.96.
From mothers, the former averaged 3 and the latter 3.28.
Only 1 percent of the respondents said that their father knew about their sexual orientation, while 19.4 percent said their mothers did.
Of those, when asked how their parent or parents learned they were gay, some 75 percent said that they told them, while 25 percent said their parents learned from others.
Regarding their future plans, about 40 percent said that they want to live with a partner here, some 18 percent said that they will live alone and 17 percent said that they will leave the country.
Jo added that that for respondents who have “come out,” parents responded with strong denial, dismissal or avoidance by having no conversation about it at all.
Korea does not recognize gay marriage by law.
On Nov. 6, the National Assembly scrapped a bill respecting gay rights.
Twenty-six of the 46 lawmakers, who introduced the bill, retracted their proposal after a fierce backlash from Christian groups, which claimed the bill would “destroy the fundamental norms of society.”