April 29, 2025
SEOUL – The National Human Rights Commission said Monday it will not attend this year’s Seoul Queer Culture Festival, deciding to boycott invitation of both the largest LGBTQ+ festival in the country and the anti-homosexual rally on the same day.
Organizers of the festival and the demonstration held by the Holy Korea — a Christian group opposing public display of same-sex relations — both invited the NHRC to their respective events in Seoul on June 14, according to the commission. The invitation sent by the Seoul Queer Culture Festival is for its parade, which usually takes place in central Seoul.
The exact location for this year’s parade has not been decided yet.
“It seems inappropriate (for the NHRC) to attend one of the two events with opposing stances, thus, we decided not to attend either event,” the NHRC said in its press release. The agency said it will monitor the possible human rights violations that may occur at either event, such as hate speech and violence.
This marks the first time the NHRC has not attended the Seoul Queer Culture Festival in eight years, having run a promotion booth at the event for every year since 2017. This year’s edition of the annual event is slated to be held June 1-22.
NHRC chief had sparked dispute for anti-LGBTQ+ comments in the past
Ahn Chang-ho, chief of the NHRC since September of 2014, has been subject to criticism for his comments against sexual minorities, such as: “One should be free to engage in homosexuality, but shouldn’t cause harm to others.” During his parliamentary hearing as a candidate for the post, he was asked if he would attend the queer festival and answered, “If I attend the queer festival, I would also attend the rally against it.”
The aforementioned Holy Korea, like many groups here that oppose the LGBTQ+ event, says it respects the human rights of sexual minorities, but says members of the community should keep their relations secret. It believes the “dangerous lifestyles of homosexuals are leading to the proliferation of AIDS, and threatening the public’s health.”
The NHRC’s recent decision has sparked controversy and complaints from across the country and even within the agency itself.
According to local No Cut News, a group consisting of NHRC officials decided to attend the Seoul Queer Culture Festival under the name, “Eli.”
Rep. Seo Mi-hwa of the Democratic Party of Korea criticized the NHRC’s decision as “comedic,” and urged the commission to reverse its decision immediately.