Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Seoul Queer Culture Festival sees record turnout with enhanced solidarity
Participants of the Seoul Queer Culture Festival wave rainbow flags and march through city center in Seoul, Saturday. Newsis
By Lee Hae-rin
Various civic groups join annual event to show support
Over 170,000 people took to the hot asphalt roads in downtown Seoul, Saturday, to participate in the Seoul Queer Culture Festival (SQCF), with sexual minorities celebrating their existence and allies showing support for them.
Despite the scorching heat and opposing rallies by conservative Christian groups, the 26th edition of the annual event had record-high turnout, according to organizers — compared to its inaugural event in 2000 when only about 50 people attended.
Under the slogan “We Will Never Stop,” the event brought out those who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning (LGBTQ+) and their allies in solidarity.
This year’s event kicked off with a group blessing by “Rainbow Jesus,” a coalition of religious leaders in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.
“We dream of a world with love instead of hatred, mercy instead of discrimination,” prayed 40 Protestant pastors wearing rainbow-colored shawls standing in a circle. “May love, friendship and solidarity fill the lives of everyone gathered here today.”
Several organizations in advocacy and solidarity with sexual minorities, including religious groups, foreign embassies, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, global corporations and student groups, ran a total of 77 booths.
Notably, this year’s event was joined by more diverse civic groups, following the LGBTQ+ community’s participation in the recent protests that led to the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his Dec. 3 martial law declaration.
“Our LGBTQ+ friends came without hesitation to support farmers’ struggles in Namtaeryeong [to join anti-Yoon rallies in downtown Seoul] and we stood together until the moment that Yoon was dismissed,” Jeong Young-yi, leader of the Korea Women Peasant Association, said on stage.
“We, farmers, will build solidarity with the queer community and fight together against discrimination,” she said.
Conservative Christian groups hold a rally across the street from Seoul City Hall to denounce the Seoul Queer Culture Festival and protest a proposed anti-discrimination bill, Saturday. Newsis
Meanwhile, a coalition of conservative Christian groups held another rally in front of Deoksu Palace across the street from City Hall in opposition to the event, calling themselves the “holy seawall,” as they have done in previous years.
Participants held signs with phrases such as “Stop homosexuality” and “Same-sex marriage destroys families,” while speakers criticized homosexuality and the legislative movement to establish an anti-discrimination law.
“We all know that anti-discrimination bill instigates homosexuality. It is the most evil of all the laws and we stopped it from passing the Assembly,” Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the opposition People Power Party (PPP) said on stage.
The lawmaker said they stopped a bill aimed at regulating online hate speech and vowed to become the “holy seawall of the National Assembly” that protects “God’s justice.”
A conservative Christian protester holds a sign that reads "No to same-sex marriage" to denounce the Seoul Queer Culture Festival and an anti-discrimination bill in a rally across the street from Seoul City Hall, Saturday. Newsis
Earlier this month, the bill to ban online violence against people with "different sexual orientations," proposed by the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), was withdrawn after conservative religious groups protested strongly. The bill was also to ban violence based on disabilities, nationality, region, sex and age.
Young Christian leaders joined the podium and denounced the “dictatorial, anti-democratic, harmful nature” of an anti-discrimination bill, which they believe goes against the Constitution and the public will.
Meanwhile, some 30,000 participants of the festival marched in a parade through downtown Seoul. Calling for improved human rights of LGBTQ+ people, marchers danced to pop songs and live percussion music.
Participants of Seoul Queer Culture Festival march through the city center with a giant rainbow flag in Seoul, Saturday. Yonhap
Some Christian protesters’ attempts to penetrate and stop the parade were thwarted by police in the area. “Return to Jesus! Disbelievers go to hell!” screamed a man holding a sign that read “Homosexuality is sin.” His shouts were soon drowned out by the crowd’s cheers and music of the parade.
No injuries were reported during the event.
Participants wave rainbow flags in joy while marching through the city center during the Seoul Queer Culture Festival in Seoul, Saturday. Newsis