Lee Seok-tae faces questions in South Korea’s National Assembly (Photo: YouTube)
A Constitutional Court in South Korea nominee spoke out in favor of same-sex marriage at his confirmation hearing on Monday (10 September).
Lawmakers grilled Lee Seok-tae, including asking him if he was gay. South Koreans also criticized his position online.
Homosexuality is legal in South Korea. But there is currently no discrimination legislation to protect LGBTI people. Same sex marriage is illegal.
Conservative attitudes, especially among Christians, force many LGBTI Koreans to live in the closet.
On Saturday, More than 1,000 conservative Christian demonstrators verbally and physically attacked an LGBTI festival in South Korea’s port city Incheon.
HOMOPHOBIA in Korean National Assembly: Let’s take a look at lawmakers’ reactions to Korea’s Constitutional Court nominee Lee Seok-tae’s pro same-sex marriage stance which he made clear during his confirmation hearing yesterday:https://t.co/6pmZkF3rtJ
— Raphael Rashid (@koryodynasty) September 11, 2018
‘Basic rights’
‘We should not look at the matter in terms of for and against, but basic rights’ Lee reportedly said of same-sex marriage on Monday.
He said homosexuals were a minority and noted that other countries had been legalizing same-sex marriage.
‘It won’t be easy in the short run, but we have to understand and face it,’ he said to lawmakers.
Lee faced a number of homophobic responses and questions from lawmakers. One lawmaker asked if he was homosexual.
Another said that Lee equating homosexuals to left-handed people (as a minority) would make left-handed people angry.
Netizens on South Korea’s favored online platform, Naver, also criticized Lee’s position, according to local reporters.
South Korea’s Constitutional Court nominee expresses support for #samesexmarriage and angry reactions dominate Naver’s comment section. #equalmarriage #LGBTQ #SouthKorea #gayrights pic.twitter.com/NsfdlwF9Xl
— Yim Hyun-su 임현수 (@hyunsuinseoul) September 10, 2018
