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

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

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. Medil tts "There is no ncept of homosexualy North Korea, " he says. 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. "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.

"The revelatn transformed Jang's life, and he beme a regular at Seoul's gay bars. "I heard that there are many gay bars there.

GAY SOUTH KOREA: 'SHE SAID I DON'T NEED A SON LIKE YOU'

"He said homosexualy is a s and was the e of Aids. He told me that he didn't want me to spread homosexualy to the other workers, " says Kim. The rtrant owner's son vised Kim's mother to give her the news her son was gay.

GAY LIFE NORTH KOREA

He was raised by a vout Prottant mother and tght that beg gay meant burng hell.

He listened fearfully church as the pastor preached that homosexualy was a s and enuragg would brg disease. Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Christian anti-LGBT protters are makg their prence felt at gay events like here SeoulHe proudly showed me his T-shirt wh a special rabow logo on , one that lls for an anti-discrimatn law.

Homosexualy may not be illegal South Korea - sce 2003 is no longer classified as "harmful and obscene" - but discrimatn remas wispread. Jt unr half of South Koreans don't want a gay iend, neighbour or lleague, acrdg to one natnwi survey by The Korea Social Integratn ptn, Why holidays n be tough for S Korea's LGBT munyThe proportn of gay and lbian teenagers who have been exposed to vlence is also high. He was alone a park late at night when he was approached by a man who told him homosexualy was an unfiveable s and he should return home to his parents, before beatg him wh a bamboo stick.

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

The Prottant Christian Communy is so ncerned that homosexualy will be accepted South Korea that has cid to hold s first "real love" event Ban - jt a month after the Queer Ftival anisers were forced to ncel their own event the cy.

In a statement to the BBC, they said LGBTQ people were "uhil and abnormal" so their discrimatn was "the right kd of discrimatn" ptn, Menorah said she felt a rponsibily to stop LGBTQ people "om gog to hell"In September, this fluential church group turned up at the Queer Ftival Incheon, South Korea's send biggt cy, their waved paper fans which said NO to homosexualy and YES to "real love". A huge screen was placed near the Queer Ftival square blastg a warng vio claimg that enuragg homosexualy would spread Aids and st tax payers lns.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* NORTH KOREA GAY SON

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

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