Anti-discrimination bill in South Korea offers ‘hope’ to LGBTQ+
Contributor
Amnesty International has reacted to an anti-discrimination bill proposed on June 29, which offers ‘hope’ to the LGBTQ+ community in South Korea. This is the seventh time that a bill on anti-discrimination has been submitted to the National Assembly, but the first such attempt since 2006. In past attempts, the inclusion of provisions outlawing LGBTQ+ discrimination was especially contentious.
Responding to the introduction of the bill, Arnold Fang, Amnesty International’s East Asia Researcher, said: ‘A law to effectively protect everybody from discrimination, including LGBTQ+ people, could make South Korea a pioneer in Asia for passing such legislation. This is a welcome initiative which, if followed through, would give hope and safety to many.
‘International law prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics. National legislation in South Korea to comprehensively outlaw discrimination would be a crucial step towards ensuring equal rights for all, as enshrined in international law and standards.
‘President Moon Jae-in should further efforts to improve human rights in South Korea and support a genuine discussion of this bill, and other proposals to eliminate discrimination for all people.’
The submission of the bill builds on momentum for such legislation in other countries in Asia. A bill focusing on the discrimination against LGBTQ+ people is being discussed in Japan, while Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage in 2019.
