Seoul mayoral candidate's remarks on LGBTQ bring controversy
Conservative minor opposition People's Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo, left, who's running in the April 7 by-election for Seoul mayor, participates in a televised debate with rival candidate and former lawmaker Keum Tae-sup, Thursday. Yonhap
By Jung Da-min
A Seoul mayoral candidate's recent remarks related to the issue of rights of the LGBTQ community have rekindled debates on the matter in political circles.
Conservative minor opposition People's Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo, who is running in the April 7 by-election for Seoul mayor, brought about the controversy after saying that the rights of those who oppose an annual parade held in central Seoul by LGBTQ community members should also be respected, during a televised debate with his rival candidate and former ruling party lawmaker Keum Tae-sup, last Thursday.
LGBTQ community members here and activists supporting them have been staging the Seoul Queer Culture Festival every year since 2000 in central Seoul to call for rights for the community. Since 2015, the parade has set off from the main festival site at Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall, with the city government under former Mayor Park Won-soon granting permission despite a continuous strong backlash from some conservative Christian groups who claimed Park encouraged homosexuality.
During the debate, Keum introduced the issue to the discussion, saying it would be a “small but significant change” if a third-party candidate gets elected as Seoul mayor and takes part in the pride march in Seoul. Keum then asked Ahn if he would be willing to participate if elected as the mayor of the capital.
Ahn replied, “Of course I oppose discrimination. Individual human rights deserve to be respected.” But then Ahn continued to say, “If an LGBTQ festival is held in Gwanghwamun (in central Seoul), there will be some people who want to come to watch it, but the rights of others who are against it should also be respected.”
Keum criticized Ahn's remarks in a radio interview with local broadcaster KBS the following day, saying he was disappointed as they lacked consideration for the basic human rights of the LGBTQ community. “Ahn's advocating for the rights of those who do not want to see a queer festival is no different from hate and discrimination,” Keum said.
The liberal minor Justice Party, which openly supports sexual minority groups, also slammed Ahn for promoting hatred toward the LGBTQ community.
“Local governments and public institutions have a responsibility and duty to protect the LGBTQ community and other minority groups in society from being subject to unreasonable discrimination and oppression,” read a statement by the Justice Party, Thursday.
“As a candidate running for the Seoul mayoral post who should actively defend and guarantee the equal rights of the citizens of Seoul, Ahn should apologize to members of sexual minority groups for his hurtful remarks that encouraged hatred against the LGBTQ community and division among Seoul citizens and for speaking of the basic rights of Seoul citizens as if they were a matter of choice.”
Performers at the 2019 Seoul Queer Culture Festival pose on stage at Seoul Plaza, central Seoul, in this 2019 file photo provided by the Seoul Queer Culture Festival. Korea Times file
As the controversy grew, Ahn said in a radio interview with local broadcaster CBS, Friday, he also agrees that the freedom of gathering and demonstration should be equally guaranteed for any groups or communities, but was just expressing concerns over “excessively obscene” performances by some participants during the queer festival.
The issue of rights for the LGBTQ community has long been a subject of debate and controversy in politics, especially during election periods as candidates try to appeal to their respective supporters. While some candidates with the country's conservative bloc have openly expressed opposition to the LGBTQ community and homosexuality, politicians with the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) have rather remained silent on the issue, in fear of losing votes from some Christians.
Potential Seoul mayoral candidates of the DPK, former SMEs and Startups Minister Park Young-sun and four-term lawmaker Rep. Woo Sang-ho, have yet to issue any comment on the matter brought up in the Ahn-Keum debate.
In 2017, then DPK presidential candidate Moon Jae-in said in a televised debate that he was against homosexuality when asked about his opinions on the topic of homosexuality within the military by rival conservative candidate Hong Joon-pyo. Moon also said he opposed discrimination against sexual minorities. Rep. Ko Min-jung of the DPK also echoed Moon's remarks during her election campaign last year during a televised debate for the general election.