North Korea's only openly gay fector: ''s a weird life' | North Korea | The Guardian

Contents:

• GAY LIFE NORTH KOREA
• NORTH KOREA’S ‘ONLY OPENLY GAY FECTOR’ FDS LOVE
• ‘I ULD NOT EVEN DREAM’: WHAT ’S LIKE TO BE GAY NORTH KOREA
• NORTH KOREA'S ONLY OPENLY GAY FECTOR: ''S A WEIRD LIFE'
• JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU
• A FECTOR TELLS WHAT 'S LIKE TO BE GAY NORTH KOREATHE FECTOR HAS TOLD CNN, "NORTH KOREA SOCIETY TREATS THE PEOPLE AS ABNORMAL".JANG YEONG-J HAS WRTEN AN TOBGRAPHIL NOVE ABOUT HIS LIFE NORTH KOREA, LLED 'A MARK OF RED HONOUR'. SOURCE: CNNJANG YEONG-J ONLY HEARD THE WORD "HOMOSEXUAL" FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN HE WAS 37 YEARS OLD, AND HE HAD NO NCEPT OF WHAT MEANT.THAT WAS NOT UNUAL HIS NATIVE NORTH KOREA - HOMOSEXUALY SIMPLY DIDN'T EXIST THERE, HE TOLD CNN.JANG WAS TRAPPED AN ARRANGED MARRIED, BUT NEVER LOVED HIS WIFE. HE LIVED WH FEELGS OF GUILT AND NFN. WHEN HE WENT TO A NROLOGIST TO TALK ABOUT HIS FEELGS AND NCERNS AND FD OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WH HIM, THE DOCTOR YELLED AT HIM AND HE RAN OM THE OFFICE.IT WAS ONLY WHEN HE WAS READG A MAGAZE A DOCTOR'S SURGERY 1998, AFTER HE FECTED TO SOUTH KOREA, THAT JANG SAW AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY. SUDNLY EVERYTHG BEME CLEAR TO HIM.JANG YEONG-J ONCE WENT TO SEE A NROLOGIST NORTH KOREA TO DISCS HIS FEELGS, BUT WAS YELLED AT. SOURCE: CNN"THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I KNEW WHAT HOMOSEXUALY WAS AND I WAS REALLY PLEASED," HE SAID THE CNN TERVIEW."I WAS 37 YEARS OLD BY THAT TIME AND THOUGHT I WOULD BE LIVG ALONE FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE AFTER LEAVG NORTH KOREA SCE I ULD NOT LIVE WH A WOMAN."HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE. HE RELLS A CHILDHOOD IEND HE ED TO SOMETIM HOLD HANDS WH OR SHARE A BED WH, WHO HE LATER REALISED HE HAD BEEN LOVE WH.THERE WERE OTHER MEN WHO HAD SIAR EXPERIENC TO JANG."WHEN I WAS THE ARY THERE WAS A SENR OFFICER WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS ME AFTER HE GOT MARRIED," JANG SAYS."THERE WAS ALSO A MAN MY HOMETOWN WHO NEVER GOT MARRIED AND LIVED ALONE ALL HIS LIFE."NORTH KOREA SOCIETY TREATS THE PEOPLE AS ABNORMAL."WATCH: THE FECTOR SCRIB HIS LIFE NORTH KOREAJANG SAYS HE ULD LIVE WH LIMED FOOD OR CLOTHG NORTH KOREA, BUT HE WAS MISERABLE WHOUT HAVG ANYTHG TO DREAM FOR.HE FECTED, CROSSG THE BORR TO CHA 1996, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET TO SOUTH KOREA. A YEAR LATER HE RETURNED TO NORTH KOREA AND CROSSED THE ME-VERED ARISED ZONE, OR DMZ, TO SOUTH KOREA, WHERE HE NOW LIV.BEG THE ONLY OPENLY GAY FECTOR HAS MA SETTLG DIFFICULT. BUT HE HAS WRTEN AN TOBGRAPHIL NOVEL ABOUT HIS LIFE NORTH KOREA, TLED 'A MARK OF RED HONOUR' (AN ENGLISH TRANSLATN IS DUE TO BE PUBLISHED THIS YEAR), AND HE IS HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE."I AM VERY OPTIMISTIC, I ALWAYS HAVE HOPE THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, LOVG EACH OTHER, TRAVELLG AROUND THE WORLD SOMEDAY," HE SAID.READ MOREDAYS OF NORTH KOREA'S KIM ARE NUMBERED: FECTORSOUTH KOREA CRACKS DOWN ON GAY SOLDIERS AFTER SEX SNDALGAY MEN REUNT HORRORS OF ALLEGED PERSECUTN CHECHNYASHARE3 M READPUBLISHED 25 APRIL 2017 4:31PMUPDATED 25 APRIL 2017 4:42PMBY ALYSSA BRAHWAESHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU
• GAY LIFE SOUTH KOREA
• IN THE MP WORLD OF K-POP, ’S HARD FOR STARS TO BE GAY
• GAY NORTH KOREA
• LIVG SILENCE: GAY NORTH KOREA

GAY LIFE NORTH KOREA

There is such fear and secrecy about many aspects of North Korea that is difficult to fd anythg reliable about everyday life there–and doubly so about homosexualy. It is not discsed public and ’s a likely assumptn that almost all gay or lbian people are ndned or erced to marriage and they live that way whout ever unrstandg their nflicted feelgs. Even for someone wh a b of knowledge about human behavr the official view is that homosexualy is an aberratn that exists only a palist society.

NORTH KOREA’S ‘ONLY OPENLY GAY FECTOR’ FDS LOVE

Sce sexual sire and longg are felt people of all cultur I would also gus there are some very secret plac where anonymo homo sex happens, but probably very hidn and very quickly.

A send reference is a blog summary about an ped NK man who had no ia how to unrstand his homosexual feelgs until he got to South Korea and was exposed to rmatn and the eedom to act on his feelgs. Lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr (LGBT) rights North Korea have never been the subject of any known polil movement or legislatn.

North Korean society is nservative wh regard to sexual matters general, and media portrayals of homosexualy typilly associate wh palist nce.

‘I ULD NOT EVEN DREAM’: WHAT ’S LIKE TO BE GAY NORTH KOREA

While there do not appear to be any specific law agast homosexual relatnships or acts, the are viewed as filthy and beneath the digny of the Korean people. As a untry that has embraced science and ratnalism, the DPRK regniz that many dividuals are born wh homosexualy as a geic tra and treats them wh due rpect. Therefore, the DPRK rejects many characteristics of the popular gay culture the Wt, which many perceive to embrace nsumerism, classism and promiscuy.

A iend workg Cuba at the time told me that at least one batch of North Koreans were sent home for homosexualy, of which Castro is notorly tolerant.. However, last year, a man wh whom Jang had fallen love after meetg him a gay bar absnd wh the W50 ln the fector had managed to save up. Image source, Oh HwanJang Yeong-j's remarkable story as North Korea's only openly gay fector was vered by the ternatnal media after he published his tobgraphy.

Park Jeong-Won, a law profsor at Seoul's Kookm Universy, says that he is not aware of any explic North Korean law agast gay and lbian relatnships. But he adds that the state's laws agast extramaral relatns and breachg social mor would probably be -opted to prosecutg any gay sexual act.

NORTH KOREA'S ONLY OPENLY GAY FECTOR: ''S A WEIRD LIFE'

"When I asked them about homosexualy, they didn't tch on quickly so I had to expla to every sgle person, " Kim, profsor of North Korean Studi at Ewha Women's Universy, says. He turned the page to disver an article about gay men g out, wh a scene om an Amerin film showg two men kissg source, Chosun-ilboImage ptn, Jang's risky fectn route ma headl the SouthFally dawned on Jang that he, too, was gay. Jang did not hear the word “homosexual” for the first 37 years of his life, sayg he had no ncept of what meant, somethg not unual his native North Korea.

JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU

Readg a magaze a doctor’s surgery 1998, not long after he arrived South Korea, Jang saw an article about homosexualy. By North Korean standards Jang Yeong-j had a normal start life: he joed the ary at 19, pleted 10 years of natnal service and married soon trapped his untry, which he has lled “one huge prison whout bars”, problems wh his marriage led him to fect to South was only when he crossed the borr and spent time a more open society did bee clear to him that he was homosexual, somethg he had never prevly had a name for.

”Speakg to the European Alliance for Human Rights North Korea, Jang explas that although he is ee of the DPRK regime, life as an openly gay fector remas a explas that men and women are often segregated for long perds of time North Korea. After the publitn of his report, the Korean Central News Agency published an article that ntaed many homophobic slurs aimed at him. Jang Yeong-j only heard the word "homosexual" for the first time when he was 37 years old, and he had no ncept of what was not unual his native North Korea - homosexualy simply didn't exist there, he was trapped an arranged married, but never loved his wife.

When he went to a nrologist to talk about his feelgs and ncerns and fd out what was wrong wh him, the doctor yelled at him and he ran om the was only when he was readg a magaze a doctor's surgery 1998, after he fected to South Korea, that Jang saw an article about homosexualy. Source: CNN"That was the first time I knew what homosexualy was and I was really pleased, " he said the CNN terview. A year later he returned to North Korea and crossed the me-vered arised zone, or DMZ, to South Korea, where he now the only openly gay fector has ma settlg difficult.

A FECTOR TELLS WHAT 'S LIKE TO BE GAY NORTH KOREATHE FECTOR HAS TOLD CNN, "NORTH KOREA SOCIETY TREATS THE PEOPLE AS ABNORMAL".JANG YEONG-J HAS WRTEN AN TOBGRAPHIL NOVE ABOUT HIS LIFE NORTH KOREA, LLED 'A MARK OF RED HONOUR'. SOURCE: CNNJANG YEONG-J ONLY HEARD THE WORD "HOMOSEXUAL" FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN HE WAS 37 YEARS OLD, AND HE HAD NO NCEPT OF WHAT MEANT.THAT WAS NOT UNUAL HIS NATIVE NORTH KOREA - HOMOSEXUALY SIMPLY DIDN'T EXIST THERE, HE TOLD CNN.JANG WAS TRAPPED AN ARRANGED MARRIED, BUT NEVER LOVED HIS WIFE. HE LIVED WH FEELGS OF GUILT AND NFN. WHEN HE WENT TO A NROLOGIST TO TALK ABOUT HIS FEELGS AND NCERNS AND FD OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WH HIM, THE DOCTOR YELLED AT HIM AND HE RAN OM THE OFFICE.IT WAS ONLY WHEN HE WAS READG A MAGAZE A DOCTOR'S SURGERY 1998, AFTER HE FECTED TO SOUTH KOREA, THAT JANG SAW AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY. SUDNLY EVERYTHG BEME CLEAR TO HIM.JANG YEONG-J ONCE WENT TO SEE A NROLOGIST NORTH KOREA TO DISCS HIS FEELGS, BUT WAS YELLED AT. SOURCE: CNN"THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I KNEW WHAT HOMOSEXUALY WAS AND I WAS REALLY PLEASED," HE SAID THE CNN TERVIEW."I WAS 37 YEARS OLD BY THAT TIME AND THOUGHT I WOULD BE LIVG ALONE FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE AFTER LEAVG NORTH KOREA SCE I ULD NOT LIVE WH A WOMAN."HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE. HE RELLS A CHILDHOOD IEND HE ED TO SOMETIM HOLD HANDS WH OR SHARE A BED WH, WHO HE LATER REALISED HE HAD BEEN LOVE WH.THERE WERE OTHER MEN WHO HAD SIAR EXPERIENC TO JANG."WHEN I WAS THE ARY THERE WAS A SENR OFFICER WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS ME AFTER HE GOT MARRIED," JANG SAYS."THERE WAS ALSO A MAN MY HOMETOWN WHO NEVER GOT MARRIED AND LIVED ALONE ALL HIS LIFE."NORTH KOREA SOCIETY TREATS THE PEOPLE AS ABNORMAL."WATCH: THE FECTOR SCRIB HIS LIFE NORTH KOREAJANG SAYS HE ULD LIVE WH LIMED FOOD OR CLOTHG NORTH KOREA, BUT HE WAS MISERABLE WHOUT HAVG ANYTHG TO DREAM FOR.HE FECTED, CROSSG THE BORR TO CHA 1996, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET TO SOUTH KOREA. A YEAR LATER HE RETURNED TO NORTH KOREA AND CROSSED THE ME-VERED ARISED ZONE, OR DMZ, TO SOUTH KOREA, WHERE HE NOW LIV.BEG THE ONLY OPENLY GAY FECTOR HAS MA SETTLG DIFFICULT. BUT HE HAS WRTEN AN TOBGRAPHIL NOVEL ABOUT HIS LIFE NORTH KOREA, TLED 'A MARK OF RED HONOUR' (AN ENGLISH TRANSLATN IS DUE TO BE PUBLISHED THIS YEAR), AND HE IS HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE."I AM VERY OPTIMISTIC, I ALWAYS HAVE HOPE THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, LOVG EACH OTHER, TRAVELLG AROUND THE WORLD SOMEDAY," HE SAID.READ MOREDAYS OF NORTH KOREA'S KIM ARE NUMBERED: FECTORSOUTH KOREA CRACKS DOWN ON GAY SOLDIERS AFTER SEX SNDALGAY MEN REUNT HORRORS OF ALLEGED PERSECUTN CHECHNYASHARE3 M READPUBLISHED 25 APRIL 2017 4:31PMUPDATED 25 APRIL 2017 4:42PMBY ALYSSA BRAHWAESHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU

Along wh the chang merce have e alteratns human behavr and attus, cludg a recent softeng toward homosexualy by means of high tech munitn and age-old drama. Mostly hidn clubs and bars, pigeon-holed off to late dancg or drkg wh iends and stashed far om fay bs, gay Koreans live wh a very strong heterosexual tradn that clus more than jt the expectatns of takg a spoe. Except for one major difference: his tentn of studyg the USA is equally, if not more, motivated by his need to breathe valy to his emotnal life as a gay man.

There are no gay paras here yet but a few gay anizatns have formed such as Kirikiri and Sappho (lbian groups), Chgai (gay men’s group) and the Coaln of Stunt Gay Rights Groups. More visibly and much more popular, gays and lbians are workg on the Inter and gettg a life–chattg, arrangg iendships and anizg activi. Jt before I left for Seoul, I typed “Korea gay” to a search enge and was nnected to the Korean BB room where an active list of notic had been recently posted.

GAY LIFE SOUTH KOREA

The gay cyber-muny Asia is burstg out of the closet and crowdg to chat rooms, bullet boards, Yahoo/eGroups and specific web pag.

At Gay Korea (), for example, a surfer is greeted wh the followg upbeat msage om the creative and bold se owner:. This web page is for Korean gays and foreigners who want to meet Korean iends, vis Korea, or jt know more about Korea. It is graced wh grand and lite scenery, and is occupied by people of a kd and welg disposn, pecially s gay and lbian muni…jt perfect!

“Actually, the suatn for the Korean gay muny is gettg better recent years, wh the openg of many gay bars, night clubs and snas. The gay magaze, Buddy was also first published this year and there are now some anized gay/ lbian muny groups at some universi, or on the Inter. The troductn by this young Korean native is remarkable s mcular optimism about a new dawn for the lbigay muny which has lived ep shadows for untls generatns.

IN THE MP WORLD OF K-POP, ’S HARD FOR STARS TO BE GAY

From fluorcent donut shops to the sleazy dim trigue of massage parlors sportg red velvet sofas, the noisy and trendy straight diss, div and fast food jots offers enough distractn and amement to mask a dozen gay bars and diss. Itaewon is also home to other gay venu such as Zipper (s possible to fall down the stairs bee the lightg is poor), Out Class (quiet, good for chattg), Trance (drag show on weekends), Why Not? The Gay Korea webse has this helpful advice: “There are many small bars loted the center of Seoul the Nag Weon Dong neighborhood to the north and east of Topkol Park (Inpennce Park).

On Augt 4, 2000, the ‘Korea Herald’ newspaper reported a ntroversial new arrival Seoul: “The first show of s kd ever staged notorly homophobic Korea, the Hahahoho Show featur an all-gay st of ne homosexuals and ne transsexuals. S., England, Japan and Thailand, have long sce regnized the talent of gay members of their muni and ed them to help build succsful tourism dtri.

GAY NORTH KOREA

“We thought this might help get rid of prejudice arisg om ignorance about gays, ” Kim said wh half an eye to the add entertament value of such rmal ssns.

The story nclud wh, “a change public attus may be takg place, nsirg that Koreans seem more open to the ia of homosexualy, at least more so than before Hahahoho opened. Another ocsn that recently forced the Korean public to s up and take notice of homosexualy was a popular TV edian /actor who was prsed to out himself last year. In numero magaz, TV and rad talks shows and newspapers, cludg the Christian Science Monor of January 17, 2001, Hong Seok-chon’s real life story put homosexualy onto the natnal circu.

Some abhorred the immoraly threateng tradnal valu while others wanted him to stand up and be proud, seeg him as wrg a new page Korea’s long reprsed attus about sexualy, pecially gay rights.

LIVG SILENCE: GAY NORTH KOREA

” The words are more than a slogan for the lbigays who meet regularly at the Korean Church Centennial Memorial Buildg Seoul. This is among the first and most darg of groups to meet for the exprs purpose of supportg and affirmg the homosexual nature of s drop- members.