Today 'Seoul Gwangjang Bakk' Queer Parade... Opposition Rallies Across Downtown

Christian Groups Hold 'Counter-Protest' at Bosingak and Jonggak Stations
Police Deploy Over 50 Units

The "2023 24th Seoul Queer Parade" will be held on the 1st in the Euljiro area.

The Seoul Queer Culture Festival Organizing Committee (Organizing Committee) will start booth events around Euljiro 2-ga at 11 a.m. and hold a welcoming stage at 2 p.m. From 4:30 p.m., a downtown march is scheduled to pass through Euljiro, Samil-daero, Toegye-ro, Myeongdong Station, Jongno, and Jonggak Station. The Organizing Committee expects more than 50,000 participants in the parade.

The Queer Culture Festival has been held annually at Seoul Plaza since 2015, except during the COVID-19 period when it was held online. However, this year it will be held at a different location due to Seoul City's refusal to permit the event.

Seoul Queer Culture Festival held last year at Seoul Plaza
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the same day, the Christian organization CTS Cultural Foundation will hold a "Youth and Young Adult Recovery Concert" at Seoul Plaza. In May, the Seoul Open Plaza Operation Citizens' Committee reviewed two applications for the use of Seoul Plaza from June 30 to July 1: the Queer Culture Festival and the Youth and Young Adult Recovery Concert, and approved the use for the CTS Cultural Foundation. As a result, religious and conservative groups opposing the Queer Festival are expected to gather on Sejong-daero near Seoul Plaza on that day.

The National Rally Against Homosexual Queer Festival will hold the "2023 Unified National Rally Holy Breakwater" at 1 p.m. in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Council. The organizers plan special prayer meetings, the national rally, and a parade. The Liberty Unification Party, which holds anti-Jusapa (pro-North Korean faction) rallies every week in front of Donghwa Duty-Free Shop in Jongno-gu, will hold their event as usual and express opposition to homosexuality. Additionally, Christian events or "counter rallies" will be held at Boshingak, Jonggak Station, and Euljiro 1-ga Station, among other locations.

The police plan to deploy more than 50 units to ensure the safety of the downtown gatherings and marches. They intend to separate the routes to prevent clashes between participants of the Queer Parade and opposing rallies.

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