Key facts
- Thousands of people gathered in central Seoul for the annual LGBTQ pride parade on Saturday.
Thousands gathered in Seoul for the annual LGBTQ pride parade, with a conservative Christian group holding a counter-rally nearby. Organizers expected up to 50,000 attendees for the Pride event and 30,000 for the counter-protest.
The event highlights the ongoing societal divisions in South Korea regarding LGBTQ+ rights and the challenges faced by the community in a country where same-sex marriage is not legal and anti-discrimination legislation has faced significant hurdles.
Thousands of people converged in central Seoul on Saturday for the annual LGBTQ pride parade, while a conservative Christian group simultaneously held a counter-rally nearby. The Seoul Queer Culture Festival, a long-standing event, faces vocal opposition from conservative religious groups in South Korea, where same-sex marriage is not legally recognized and anti-discrimination laws have stalled.
Festival organizers established a stage and approximately 70 booths starting at 11 a.m., with the main parade scheduled to commence at 4 p.m. and cover about 3 kilometers. Organizers had informed the police of their expectation for up to 50,000 attendees. The counter-rally, held about 700 meters from the Pride venue, was planned by a conservative Christian group that also anticipated around 30,000 participants and intended to march.
Historically, there have been no clashes between the two gatherings. As of 2 p.m., real-time data from the Seoul city administration indicated that approximately 15,000 individuals had gathered in the vicinity for the competing events.