DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Seoul, South Korea CNN —South Korea’s Constitutional Court has upheld a law banning same-sex relations in the military, citing a threat to combat-readiness, in a judgment decried by the local LGBTQ community as a disappointing setback. “Even if sexual acts are consensual” they risk “causing serious harm to preserving the fighting power of the nation’s armed forces, if committed (while on duty),” it added. But the group said it was encouraged by the comments of the dissenting judges, who warned against deeming sexual acts between same-sex couples as abnormal. The dissenting judges said there is “no reason” to differentiate between consensual sexual acts by same-sex soldiers and heterosexual ones. With a mandatory military service imposed on almost all able-bodied men between the age of 18 and 28, South Korea has one of the world’s largest active armies.

Persons: ”, Boram Jang, scuffles, Hong Joon, pyo Organizations: South Korea CNN, Constitutional, Amnesty, National Health Insurance Service, South Korea’s, Seoul Queer Culture, Christian, Daegu Queer Culture Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Asia, South, Daegu

☆ South Korea LGBT festival proceeds, bumped from prime spot by Christian group
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Hyunsu Yim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, July 1 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands attended South Korea's largest annual LGBT festival on Saturday, vowing to continue fighting for gay rights after the Seoul city government denied them a prime spot and gave it to an anti-LGBT Christian group. "You can see a lot of hateful banners behind me as well as those that support us on our right," said Yang Sun-woo, chief organiser of the Seoul Queer Culture Festival. "South Korea is enjoying a rise in global status but LGBT rights here are at rock bottom," she said. The Christian group CTS, which has vocally opposed homosexuality, said it was not trying to thwart LGBT people. "Some ask why we need this queer festival, but it is the only time a year where we can all enjoy ourselves out in the open."

Persons: Yang Sun, ”, Cho Jong Yun, Kim Kyu Jin, Kim Saeyeon, Kyu Jin Kim, Nicole Kim, Hong Joon, Daewoung Kim, Hyunsu Yim, William Mallard Organizations: South, Christian, Seoul Queer Culture, CTS, LGBT, Gallup, Minwoo, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, Seoul, COVID, Korea, South Korea, Daegu

Seoul, South Korea CNN —Scuffles broke out in the South Korean city of Daegu on Saturday as local officials led by the mayor clashed with police during a protest against an LGBTQ festival. Tensions came to a head on Saturday when local government officials gathered to protest at the festival site. A video posted by the event organizers shows festival vehicles stuck on the road, unable to enter due to the protesters. South Korean news agency Yonhap estimated that about 500 protesters and 1,500 police officers were at the scene. Hong, the Daegu mayor, has previously made headlines for anti-LGBTQ statements, such as claiming that gay men would weaken the South Korean military, according to local media.

Persons: South Korea CNN — Scuffles, Hong Joon, –, Hong Organizations: South Korea CNN, Christian, Daegu Queer Culture, South, Police, Daegu, South Korean, Seoul Queer Culture Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Korean, Daegu, Japan, Taiwan, Seoul’s

Seoul, South Korea CNN —For years, South Korea’s biggest annual LGBTQ pride celebration has been held in the same grassy square in central Seoul, which fills up with performers and joyful participants decked out in rainbow costumes. Organizers for both the festival and the Christian concert applied to use the Seoul Plaza venue from June 30 to July 1, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said in a statement Thursday. The foundation is linked with the Christian broadcaster CTS, which has vocally opposed homosexuality and the pride festival, according to Reuters. The tension between South Korea’s LGBTQ community and their conservative, often Christian critics is clearly displayed at each pride festival, where both groups show up. At last year’s SQCF festival, opponents and religious groups gathered outside the venue, displaying protest messages on banners and shouting anti-LGBTQ slogans through loudspeakers.

☆ Seoul's LGBT festival blocked by Christian concert outside city hall, organisers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Hyunsu Yim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, May 4 (Reuters) - Seoul's city government has effectively blocked South Korea’s largest annual LGBT festival from taking place outside city hall this year after granting a permit for a Christian youth concert instead, the LGBT event’s organisers said this week. Yang Sun-woo, chief organiser of the Seoul Queer Culture Festival, said the city's move is an act of discrimination. A concert for young people will take place outside the city hall on that day instead. A representative for the CTS Cultural Foundation said that the timing was not aimed at blocking the LGBT festival. The Seoul city government did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Search resuls for: "Seoul Queer Culture"

5 mentions found