More Police Expected at the Seoul Queer Culture Festival
After the recent assassination of Japan’s former premier Shinzo Abe, authorities in South Korea are beefing up security for high-profile figures, including the U.S. ambassador who is expected to attend the LGBTQ Parade in Seoul this weekend.
Police are already gearing up for the Seoul Queer Culture Festival on Saturday, July 16, but queer folks and allies will see extra police presence for the parade. Philip Goldberg, the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, and other envoys to the country are expected to attend.
Last weekend, small groups of protesters demonstrated outside of the U.S. embassy when the ambassador arrived in the country, accusing the United States of “homosexual cultural imperialism.”
“We are planning to tighten security as there are a number of risk factors with opposition groups also set to hold a rally at the same time,” a police officer told The Straits Times, a Singaporean English-language newspaper.
Formerly known as the Korea Queer Culture Festival, the Seoul Queer Culture Festival is an annual modern Korean festival where LGBTQ+ rights take center stage. The celebration – which lasts for a week or two – includes a Pride parade and film festival events.
Homosexuality is not illegal in South Korea and there is growing public acceptance of LGBTQ people, but rights activists still face hate crimes and discrimination, including job loss and hate speech.
You can find out more about the Seoul Queer Culture Festival on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
