Queer Festival Returns to Seoul Plaza After 3 Years... Conflict Resolution Still Pending

The 23rd Seoul Queer Parade to Be Held on the 16th at Seoul Plaza
Opposition to "Ban on Excessive Nudity and Pornography Sales" Citing "Unclear Standards and Intent to Discriminate"
Concerns Over COVID-19 Spread Amid Large Crowds and Counter-Protests Expected

On the 15th of last month, while officials from the Seoul Queer Culture Festival Organizing Committee were holding a press conference condemning the Seoul city administration's handling of the Seoul Plaza usage application in front of Seoul City Hall, an anti-queer festival group was holding a press conference next to them opposing the approval of the Seoul Plaza usage. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Yunjin Kim] The Seoul Queer Culture Festival will be held offline at Seoul Plaza for the first time in three years.

The Seoul Queer Culture Festival (Queer Festival) has established itself as the largest LGBTQ+ festival in South Korea since its first event in Daehangno in 2000. The festival was held at Seoul Plaza starting in 2015, but in 2020 and last year, it was mainly conducted online due to the spread of COVID-19. Following the government's policy to restore daily life and the lifting of social distancing measures, this year the event has returned to an offline format.

The controversy surrounding the hosting of the Queer Festival is a long-standing debate. The opposition, mainly conservative Christian groups, argue against the festival citing its harmfulness and obscenity. In 2014, opposing groups blocked parade vehicles and disrupted the march, leading to a four-hour standoff with participants on the road. The following year, the opening ceremony was delayed by an hour due to obstruction by conservative Christian groups.

There has also been ongoing conflict between the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the event organizers over holding the Queer Festival at Seoul Plaza. In 2015, the first year the Queer Parade was held at Seoul Plaza, the city approved the use of the plaza but faced strong public opposition. Since 2016, the city has referred the usage application to a citizens' committee to reflect their opinions before deciding on approval.

In response, supporters of the festival criticized the city for demanding committee approval despite the principle of a notification system for plaza use, arguing that this discriminatory requirement delayed preparations for the Queer Festival. In 2019, the Seoul Human Rights Commission pointed out that "the city's recognition of abnormal exceptions to the principle of immediate approval based on the event being led by sexual minorities was an unjust measure," and recommended that the city supervise and guide the responsible department.

Conflicts resurfaced ahead of the 23rd Queer Festival this month. On May 15, about two months after the organizers submitted their application, the Seoul Open Plaza Operation Citizens' Committee amended and approved the use of Seoul Plaza. The committee limited the originally requested event period from May 12 to 17 to just one day, May 16, and approved usage on the condition that there would be no excessive nudity or sale and exhibition of harmful or obscene materials under the Youth Protection Act.

The Seoul Queer Culture Festival Organizing Committee criticized the committee's decision in a press release, stating that "the event period was arbitrarily shortened without reasonable grounds." The committee also pointed out the clause stating "future use of the plaza for the Queer Festival will be restricted if conditions are violated," calling it "an abuse of authority to impose vague conditions without clear standards and preemptively decide on the festival's future use of Seoul Plaza."

Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about large crowds and potential clashes between supporters and opponents at the offline Queer Festival held for the first time in three years. The Seoul Plaza Queer Parade typically attracts around 10,000 participants. The organizing committee announced that they will frequently check compliance with quarantine rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Approximately 20,000 people are expected to gather at the "National Rally Against Homosexual Queer Festival" held in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Council on the day of the event. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to prepare countermeasures against possible clashes between the two events, including requesting the police to install barriers.

The 23rd Seoul Queer Culture Festival will be held from May 15 to 31. The offline event, the Seoul Queer Parade, taking place on May 16 at Seoul Plaza, will proceed with booth events followed by a welcome stage, parade (march), and a celebration stage. The Korea Queer Film Festival will be screened both online and offline during the Queer Festival period.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.