This semester, I'm going to research dating culture and relationships in South Korea with subtopics including the role of parents, age ranges for dating and marriage, arranged marriage, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, gender roles, and foreigners. For this post, I will talk about the social and legal acceptance (or lack thereof) of the LGBTQ+ community.
Currently in South Korea, being homosexual is not illegal and the South Korean constitution deems unlawful the discrimination based on sex, religion, or social status, which apparently includes sexual orientation without explicitly saying so. Although this law is in place, the enforcement is lacking in discrimination cases against members of the LGBTQ+ community. Companies such as Samsung and Google even went as far as to ban popular dating apps for homosexuals in 2013. Unfortunately, same-sex marriage is still illegal in South Korea. The current view on the matter does not suggest any change as a 2017 poll found that 58% of the population opposed same-sex marriage while only 34% supported it. The remaining 8% left their response as undecided. Homosexual couples are denied many rights that heterosexual couples have such as pensions and adopting children. Same-sex couples cannot adopt children due to the legal requirements of being married. Courts are allowed to grant gender changes, but only at the expense of other civil liberties. I wish the article had gone more in-depth about which civil liberties transgender individuals would have to sacrifice to be legally recognized for who they are. As for some progress, back in 2003, homosexuality stopped being considered obscene or harmful. In 2015, South Korea supported the UN’s efforts to fight discrimination against sexual and gender minorities. Finally, in 2017, the Gallop poll revealed that 90% of the South Korean population supported equal employment options for sexual minorities.
One article written within the last two months highlights the discrimination that the LGBTQ+ community faces. The blame is mostly placed on the government for reversing anti-discrimination laws to limit or rid of legal protection against those who believe being gay is immoral and seen as a mental illness. Surveys clearly show the stance of the South Korean population on the matter and the repercussions that the minorities face as a result. According to The Korea Social Integration Survey, a little under 50% don’t want any association with a gay person. The article relates this idea to the 20% of the population that is affiliated with conservative churches. Additionally, a poll led by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea revealed that 92% of those who identify as LGBTQ+ are afraid of being a target of hate crimes. An emergency hotline was created in response to the results of a national survey of members of the LGBTQ+ community under 18. About 45% have attempted suicide and more than half have attempted self-harm. The article brought to light a personal story to exemplify the severity of this issue. A 20-year-old was fired from his office when his boss found out he was gay. On the same day, his mother kicked him out of their house and has since attempted to find him and force him to go to conversion camp. There several protests for gay rights and many counter-protests by conservative groups. It is hard to say whether there will be progress anytime soon, but I hope that members of the LGBTQ+ community at least feel safer.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49751410
https://www.nqapia.org/wpp/lgbtq-rights-in-south-korea/
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