LGBTQ students condemn city gov't's disapproval of Seoul Plaza for festival

Members of a student-led coalition of LGBTQ and human rights advocacy groups from 10 universities in Korea hold a press conference in western Seoul, Friday, after a mini pride parade to condemn the Seoul Metropolitan Government's decision to disapprove the Seoul Queer Culture Festival's use of Seoul Plaza. Korea Times photo by Cho Hye-yoon

By Lee Hae-rin

Laura Carrera, a 23-year-old exchange student from Guatemala studying at Dongguk University, was taken aback upon learning that the Seoul Queer Culture Festival (SQCF) had been denied permission this year to use Seoul Plaza, a location where it has taken place for years.

"I think it's ridiculous," Carrera said, explaining that canceling a Pride Month celebration in 2023 is "inconceivable" even in her home country, which she describes as "conservative," with anti-LGBTQ protests frequent during events celebrating the sexual minority community.

Nerea Garcia from Spain, 21, who is in a one-year exchange student program with Carrera, agreed that queer festivals are widely celebrated events in her country as well, supported not just by the LGBTQ community but also others as well. "We also have our conflicts but not that much," Garcia said.

Carrera and Garcia chose to stand with their friends in the university's queer club and like-minded students from other universities, participating in a mini pride parade in western Seoul's Sinchon, Friday, to express their disapproval of the city government's decision to deny the use of Seoul Plaza for the upcoming SQCF.

At Friday's event, over 120 university students participated in the 400-meter march through the heart of Seoul's university-clustered area. The students voiced their presence and solidarity with chants of "We are here, the rainbow will live on," while also singing K-pop songs such as Girls' Generation's "Into the New World," which has been the country's iconic pride anthem.

The event was jointly organized by 20 student-led LGBTQ and human rights advocacy groups from 10 universities across the country and supported by 22 student and non-student organizations, including the minor progressive Green Party and Jinbo Party.

"We will not surrender and remain in despair for being banned from using Seoul Plaza. Instead, we will keep fighting, doing what we can do," said Kwon So-won, the leader of the student coalition.

From left, Laura Carrera of Guatemala and Nerea Garcia of Spain, exchange students at Dongguk University, pose during a student-led demonstration in western Seoul, Friday, to condemn the city government's disapproval of the use of Seoul Plaza for the upcoming Seoul Queer Culture Festival. Korea Times photo by Cho Hye-yoon

Last week, the Seoul Metropolitan Government denied the Seoul Queer Culture Festival's request to use Seoul Plaza, instead granting approval to a youth concert organized by the Christian Television System (CTS) Culture Foundation.

Both parties had submitted their applications to reserve the public space on the same day, April 3, which is 90 days prior to their respective events scheduled for July 1.

The decision was said to be based on the city government's regulations on Seoul Plaza, which state that if more than one organization applies for the same date and refuses to reschedule, the civic committee in charge of plaza management can prioritize and rule in favor of an event that is children- and youth-related.

However, the SQCF organizers and participants at Friday's demonstration argue that the city's decision discriminates against sexual minorities and excludes young people within the LGBTQ community by favoring a Christian event.

"The city government announced the disapproval of the SQCF abruptly without following proper administrative procedures," said a student representative of an LGBTQ club at Hongik University, referring to how the city had not held in-person scheduling meetings with all concerned parties, as required by the regulations.

For the LGBTQ community in Korea, Seoul Plaza holds symbolic importance as the SQCF has been held there annually since 2015, despite fierce opposition and interference from conservative Christian groups, except in 2020 and 2021 when pandemic-related restrictions on public gatherings drove the events online.

The groups accused the city government of taking away the "one and only event throughout the year where queer people in Korea can gather" and celebrate their diversity.

"There is no place for the LGBTQ children and youth in the event (organized by the Christian group)," a student representative from Hanyang University's queer club said on condition of anonymity. "How dare Seoul say it is an event for the youth that meets priority standards stated in the ordinance?"

Leaders of the coalition for student-led LGBTQ and human rights advocacy groups from 10 universities in Korea march in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Cho Hye-yoon

Meanwhile, the Christian group refuted the accusations of discrimination.

"Our foundation aims to give vision and hope for the next generation," an official from the CTS Cultural Foundation told The Korea Times, Friday, explaining the group has held its concert at Seoul Plaza several times under different names before the pandemic for both Christian and non-Christian youth.

The group claimed that it booked Seoul Plaza on the same date as the SQCF organizers because it believes more young people can participate that day, as students are on summer vacation and the weather forecast shows no sign of rain.

In response to the criticisms, the group is reorganizing the event to make it "less religious," thus more inclusive to non-Christians, and plans to show how they "differ from conservative Christians that demonstrate hatred" against sexual minorities during the LGBTQ celebrations.

The Korea Times intern reporter Cho Hye-yoon contributed to this article.