By Lee Kyung-min
Organizers of the 16th Korea Queer Festival have asked the public not to join its opening ceremony out of concerns about Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
Instead, the ceremony, which will be attended only by its staff, will be broadcast live on Youtube, the organizers said.
Initially, they planned to hold the ceremony at Seoul Square in front of Seoul City Hall with various events.
However, organizers said they have accepted the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s recommendation against outdoor activities due to the potential spread of the virus.
“We are aware of the growing concern of MERS infection. We also heard that avoiding crowded areas is the best possible prevention measure,” a member of the organizing committee said.
The organizers have cancelled a number of events involving a large crowd filling the square, adding the ceremony will be carried out by a small number of staffers.
“A dance party, marching with the holding of rainbow-colored balloons and a sing-along session were all cancelled,” an organizer said.
Other activities such as a movie screening will be held as planned because it does not require public participation.
The initial events included the “main party” and “queer parade,” on June 13 and 18 respectively.
“We hope that the ongoing spread of the MERS dies down quickly. We will comply with the safety guidelines implemented by the city government until then,” the organizer said.
Representatives from more than 10 countries were scheduled to join the festival including those from the embassies of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Spain, Slovenia, Sweden and Britain, as well as European Union delegates.