Plot twist: South Korea is conservative

Issue #392: It's Pride Month, and this newsletter wouldn't be your favorite newsletter if it didn't try to make the world a little more complicated. This week, we're looking at South Korea. Outside the country, it's often seen through its biggest exports: K-pop, Netflix dramas, and smartphones. But there's another side to the story. South Korea remains relatively conservative when it comes to queer rights, and debates over Pride, schools, and anti-discrimination laws are still very much alive. Let's add a few more shades to the country's international reputation and, hopefully, become better allies in the process.

Also this week: Iran and Egypt play during Pride in Seattle, we are still discovering entirely new species on Earth, an Argentine sociologist on why FIFA is sht but football isn't, the beef between the U.S. and Somalia (it's about more than just the referee), Sudan's under-17 female football team is ready to compete, some good news from the Amazon, and so much more. What Happened Last Week intern Pia Monroy Rodriguez really made sure you have a lot of good news* to catch up on. Say 'thank you, Pia' when you smile today.

This newsletter has been edited by Jonathan Ramsay.

South Korea may have a big and very visible Pride event, but the country's organized Christians are the biggest opponents of LGBTQ rights

Refresher: What is life like for queer people in South Korea today? Not too good. Yes, there's a big Pride in their capital Seoul every year (since 2000). It's even one of Asia's biggest Pride events, complete with drag performances and free HIV testing. But the country itself is quite polarized when it comes to same-sex relationships and gender diversity.

What happened:
On June 13, 2026, the Seoul Queer Parade took place in central Seoul, around the Euljiro and Jonggak area (one of the city's busiest areas). Tens of thousands of people attended. A few hundred metres away from the parade, conservative Christian groups often hold their own rallies. They also attract thousands of people, sing hymns, and campaign for what they call a "healthy Korea." For many of them, homosexuality is a sin. At least, there ⁠have been no clashes between ⁠the ⁠two in previous years, writes The Korea Herald.

Good to know: In South Korea, people often say "Pride," but they're usually referring to the broader Seoul Queer Culture Festival (SQCF) rather than only the march itself. The parade is just one part of a month-long set of events. Other parts include a film festival, exhibitions, merchandise fairs, and more.

Why this matters: South Korea is one of the most Christian countries in East Asia, and conservative Protestant churches have become one of the strongest organized opponents of LGBTQ rights (they represent a fifth of the population, writes The Guardian). Multiple anti-discrimination bills haven't gone through partly because of their influence.

Tell me more:
Here are a few places where debates about queer rights are playing out in South Korea today:

• ... In public spaces. Despite its size, Seoul Pride again this year was denied access to Seoul Plaza, one of the city's most prominent public spaces. The festival had been held there for six consecutive years before losing permission four years ago. This is because of Seoul's very own mayor, Oh Se-hoon. He has publicly said he "cannot support homosexuality," and that holding Pride at the city's main square is "not desirable."
• ... In schools and universities. In Seoul's recent education superintendent election, some candidates campaigned on promises to remove what they called "queer education" from classrooms. At Soongsil University (private; first modern university of the country), an LGBTQ+ club reportedly cannot even register officially as a student organization.
• ... In film and culture. Yes,queer stories have become more visible in Korean film and television over the past two decades. South Korea now hosts two major queer film festivals: the Korea Queer Film Festival and the Seoul International Pride Film Festival). But even here, access to space remains contested. Last year, a cinema at Ewha Womans University (private; very well-known) told organizers it could no longer host the queer film festival because the screenings conflicted with the university's Christian principles. Students responded by organizing their own queer film festival.

What rights do LGBTQ people have in South Korea?
Here's an overview (but it's fewer than you'd expect):

Same-sex marriage is not legal, which means same-sex couples miss out on many of the rights automatically granted to married couples, including some protections related to inheritance, family status, medical decision-making and other legal benefits. However, same-sex couples can now register themselves as partners in government census records.

South Korea also still lacks a nationwide anti-discrimination law that explicitly protects people from discrimination on a range of grounds, including disability, religion, age, sex,and sexual orientation and gender identity. Opposition has often focused on the latter part. However, LGBTQ rights are very slowly advancing through individual court cases. For example, as of 2024, same-sex couples must be treated equally when it comes to a particular health insurance benefit.

The reason this nationwide anti-discrimination law hasn't passed for the past two decades is, well, some politicians oppose it outright, while others have been reluctant to push it forward for fear of backlash from conservative Christian groups. One of the most controversial figures in the debate is the head of South Korea's Human Rights Commission, who has previously described homosexuality as a tool for a "communist revolution" and opposes anti-discrimination legislation. His commission is now overseeing a study examining how anti-discrimination laws work in other countries as South Korea (still) considers whether to introduce its own. Critics argue that raises an obvious question: How independent can the review be when the person overseeing it has already made his position so clear?

Dig deeper: Korea Herald shows what happens when people cannot choose their families legally.

Zoom out: South Korea's far-right online culture is growing, and this, of course, mostly affects people with disabilities, migrants, and LGBTQ+ people, writes Hankyoreh.

what else happened

Bad

Israel / Lebanon: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said the country's military is going to stay in southern Lebanon "to protect Israel's northern border as long as necessary." (Al Jazeera) In the same week, on Saturday, Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 28 people, including a family of four. (RTÉ News) On Sunday, at least 47 people were killed, and 97 more injured. (NBC News) Meanwhile, the U.S. announced that Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire. (NBC News)

Palestine / Israel: The Gaza Health Ministry said that over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire was announced last year. (AP)

Sudan: Sudanese human rights organization Emergency Lawyers reported that the RSF killed nine civilians in North Darfur. (Middle East Monitor) In the same week, in Kordofan (western Sudan),...