South Korean politician slams homosexuals in Christian sermon

South KmP8E&L&id#Kc2@FeQf4XJzBQlVAa8lmLEyaTNvN^STFxaYOqUForean politician, Lee Hye-hoon of the Bareun Future Party, this weekend delivered a homophobic sermon at a renowned anti-LGBT church.

“Homosexuality is something that God detests” she said at the Gwangju Antioch Church, according to Newsnjoy.or.kr.

"Homosexuals do not love the soul, or mind, or platonic love+=41PwkSEm*#wAx3l(Y5V77GWZWF695T=TQmJZAsKyN8=ikna@. Most of them are only in physical relationships,” she also reportedly said.

She warned ag6%2r_LQbqHvXqIzX(2ZCJxeF!@8z$mHaHUf*wR9k4$tIQul-MJainst homosexuals entrapping teenagers and said the number of homosexuals was increasing by 21% a year.

She also voiced support for a South Korean law which bans gay sex for South Korean soldiers. Although two-year military service is mandatory in South Korea, gay sex is illegal_2K!yl+k&=83uTVD)u6bF%!=BG=6I=0WG-hPWCaX&@NlGtHcJv for soldiers and can be punished by two years in jail.

The comments come as the citjKp#ojQw=qDnD-PE1p0djpCe4!r4kdEQAMV46QMgZh*0N!^Aq2y of Busan was forced to cancel this year’s pride parade.

Meanwhile, in the city of Incheon, a pride event went ahead amid a huge police presence. Some local media reported that anti-LGBT hecklers outnumberedN0-wyr#zQ=rB7NLmRGJv*%OZW7VK!5H2-5Q=T*R^Ytce_8gbP5 the pride attendees.

Homosexuality is legal in South Korea. But consertm!gE!@*X#ODWde+SJ77Ib+2VdkX_5&H50ZwC-1S0hz7yzhwRsvative attitudes, especially among Christians, force many LGBTI Koreans to live in the closet.

A 2017 Korean Gallup Daily Opinion poll reported 66% of 19-29 year-olds supported same-sex marriage, but 76% of those over 60 oppo5KIpX$xDP6e=xSP&Cv+59afrgm&erJnhL+v&X^u&X1PBO#)j*#sed it.

There is currently no discrimination legislation to protect LGBTI Koreans. Protests against LGBTI events, usually led by conservative ChriF4XhWwkx&Z*jW+=4_DQ861VvY!J-2ie+ZN%sXSnEq+j8W9IZxkstians, have become increasingly loud and violent.

What’s more, South Korea has ignored calls from intercBpmPGiNPgecZ89L%0lJ%+uI+5kUVHF^(8xsTZhWZBr#5(@Le3national rights groups to end its anti-gay law for soldiers in the military.

In 2017, the law made headlines after it emerged a senior general used gay dating apps to ensnare soldiers. His so-called ‘gay witch hunt’ reportedly reQK6hjE-(bd-YDI()kIG3jZ^qykyHwm$8iq7_&!IawjjXq+FCHuvealed 50 soldiers.