Goldberg New US Ambassador: "No One Can Be Left Behind, Will Continue Fighting for Human Rights"

Attending Queer Festival, US Ambassador's First Public Speech at Queer Festival

Philip Goldberg, the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Korea. Photo by AP

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Philip Goldberg, the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Korea, attended the Seoul Queer Culture Festival held at Seoul Plaza on the 16th and delivered a speech supporting LGBTQ+ rights.

Ambassador Goldberg took the stage as a speaker and said, "I wanted to participate in this event to oppose discrimination anywhere and to demonstrate America's commitment to a society where everyone is respected," adding, "No one can be left behind, we stand with you."

Former U.S. Ambassadors to Korea, including Mark Lippert and Harry Harris, have also visited the Queer Culture Festival as part of human rights diplomacy. However, this is the first time a U.S. Ambassador has given a speech to the public at the event.

In addition to the U.S. Ambassador, ambassadors and officials from 13 countries, including the European Union (EU), the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Finland, and Australia, took the stage to deliver messages of support.

Maria Castillo-Fernandez, EU Ambassador, stated, "Recently, attacks on the LGBTQ+ community and prejudice and hatred based on gender identity have intensified, which are human rights violations," adding, "At a time when human rights are under threat, events like this are more important than ever."

Philip Turner, New Zealand Ambassador, appeared on stage with his same-sex spouse Hiroshi and said, "I believe that everyone should be able to live freely and proudly, including their sexual orientation and gender identity."

Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Korea has been participating in the Seoul Queer Culture Festival since 2015, coinciding with the time when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage.

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