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| A homophobic sign is displayed near the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap |
That plan set to collide with local conservatives ― most avid supporters of Korea-US alliance
By Jung Min-ho
Surrounded by several police officers near the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Monday, a protester with a determined look on her face was holding a sign that read, "No Homosexual Ambassador to Korea." But another sign set up behind her puzzled some passersby, as it said "Reinforce S. Korea-U.S. Alliance."
The mix of these seemingly inconsistent messages shows the nature of the challenges facing the new U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg, who arrived in Seoul the previous day.
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| A demonstrator is surrounded by police officers protesting the appointment of new U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg in Seoul, Monday. Another sign behind her reads "Reinforce S. Korea-U.S. Alliance." Yonhap |
Since the Korean Peninsula was split in 1945, conservatives in the South have been the most avid supporters of the Seoul-Washington alliance. But since the embassy began to display a big rainbow flag in support of LGBTQ rights after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2015, many conservatives here have expressed their disapproval and disappointment over the issue, which is expected to remain a point of contention.
Speaking to The Korea Times, an embassy official did not provide clear answers about the new ambassador's sexual orientation nor about its plans for displaying the flag. In a statement, however, the embassy said its inclusivity policy for the rights of sexual minorities will remain the same.
"Advancing human rights for LGBTQI+ people is a stated foreign policy priority for the Biden administration," it said. "Like the rest of U.S. diplomatic missions around the world, the U.S. Embassy in Seoul will continue to openly support the human rights of LGBTQI+ individuals."
The embassy also noted it respects the rights of the protesters who have different opinions, saying it believes "the strongest weapon against hateful speech is not repression, but more speech that promotes tolerance."
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| Joseph Joo, the leader of Anti-Homosexuality Christian Solidarity, speaks during a rally against the appointment of new U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg near the U.S. Embassy building in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Anti-Homosexuality Christian Solidarity |
Joseph Joo, the leader of the AHCS and one of the organizers of the recent protest, said that the protesters were not there to support discrimination.
"We do not support any discrimination or violations of human rights against certain groups. But promoting certain values over others is a different story," Joo said. "At a time when the two countries are facing so many challenges, such as growing nuclear threats from North Korea, I do not understand why the Biden government made a decision that would certainly stir up controversy in South Korea … It would be against the national interests of the U.S."
In Korea, a largely socially conservative nation, very few Korean politicians support LGBTQ rights openly. Moon Jae-in, the former president of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea and a former human rights lawyer, said during a 2017 TV presidential contenders debate that he "does not like" homosexuality when pressed to answer the question.
Harry Harris, Goldberg's predecessor, drew angry reactions from some conservatives for appearing at the Seoul Queer Culture Festival during his term. This was around the time when he was also attacked by many on the left for his hardline approach toward the North and his half-Japanese ethnic background.
Within this fiery context, it appears Goldberg will have some challenging work ahead of him. At his U.S. Senate confirmation hearing in April, he vowed to pursue "the comprehensive, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization" of North Korea, signaling a collaborative hardline approach with the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
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