South Korea celebrates Pride after a two-year hiatus

South Korea’s Pride parade returned from a two-year pandemic hiatus that saw revelers chanting, dancing and waving rainbow flags at Seoul City Hall on Saturday as conservative groups protested the equality event.

Thousands of attendees listened to speeches and musical performances at central Seoul Plaza before braving the torrential rain to march through the city, accompanied by performers dancing on mobile stages and belting out pop songs. Police increased security along the route to maintain a cordon between the protesters and the mostly Christian protesters.

A consultant and activist, who gave his name Joy, told AFP he was happy to celebrate Pride but noted that “South Korean society still has a long way to go” in terms of LGBTQ rights recognition.

“We are always in a situation where our existence is denied,” he said. “It’s important to be able to show that we’re here, even if it’s just for a day.”

Same-sex marriage remains illegal in South Korea, and activists have long emphasized the need for legislation outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation.

“We live our daily lives pretending we’re no different, but today we can be ourselves, express ourselves confidently, wear the clothes we want to wear and hold hands with our lovers,” said Pride attendee and Activist Kim Hyun-jung told AFP.

Saturday’s protesters, some in army-style uniforms, erected scaffolding along the parade route as crowds clapped to a team of drummers and participants held signs that read ‘Homosexuality is Sin’ and ‘No! Same-Sex” in English upheld The Marriage”.

“(Homosexuality) is wrong. It brings moral corruption and disorder into society. We can’t have that in South Korea,” protester Hong Sung-bo said.

“I feel sorry for you. If they could meet Jesus and receive the gospel and be changed, they could lead healthier lives. I pity their sinful culture.”

Before the downpour, the Seoul Plaza gathering — formerly known as the Seoul Queer Culture Festival — attracted high-profile supporters, including scores of foreign emissaries.

Along with other diplomats, New Zealand Ambassador Philip Turner, who appeared on stage with his partner Hiroshi Ikeda, told the crowd: “Everyone should be able to live their life with freedom and pride”.

EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez noted that the meeting “is even more timely and important today because human rights are not taken for granted in the world,” while newly arrived US Ambassador Philip Goldberg promised attendees that the US would be “with them.” would fight”. [them] for equality”.

Goldberg was singled out by name from the protest camp, some of whom held up signs suggesting he was gay and accused the US embassy of “destroying the alliance between the two countries”.

Several speakers, including Norwegian Ambassador Frode Solberg, alluded to the groups protesting the event in their remarks.

“I was here for the first time in 2018… and the forces around us are showing us today that this fight is still very important,” he said, urging attendees to “stay brave, stay proud.”