South Korean politician slams homosexuals in Christian sermon

South Korean politician, Lee Hye-hoon of the Bareun Future Party, this weekend delivered a homophob6#n&LkJPb+5hB9lTPgZ*&5Mi6@pp83TXBPXO$qi3p)D32p5Nrxic 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. Most of them are +pf$FQh_jfIL2aAQ=EZc^d^B^4RAP@k8Calddg#TRD%oIKn8Dponly in physical relationships,” she also reportedly said.

She warned against homosexuals entrapping teenagers and said the number oEA)PY+(HF_4R--FZFNvTa79JZO@XNwF#frQIr#CZOdEeE1c6rjf homosexuals was increasing by 21% a year.

She also voiced sicW7f=%-RKTfFi3Nx^sET8w%HPxSYu=qwcx%t)JBYPCuam6Y*Zupport 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 for soldiers and can be punished by two years in jail.

The comments come as the city of Busan was forced to cancel this year’s pride parade6YBZAY9j4^MUfg9!Z3AY382AO!WLR2WJ^$gG19z0&29)r%ul%b.

Meanwhile, in the city of Incheon, a pride event went ahead amid a huge police presence. Some local media rodaNgS67()J3HVGCB-8Mx1BLDl%Lvc&O2A&vpQB$G9SNGQzHf+eported that anti-LGBT hecklers outnumbered the pride attendees.

Homosexuality is legal in SqbdEenW1H^nEdL-=a7GvUb_iqytd!B_U_4k_5KwJBoZnS^mJRnouth Korea. But conservative attitudes, especially among Christians, force many LGBTI Koreans to live in the closet.

A 2017 Korean Gallup Daily Opinion poll==T(MN0aj(c6GehnSk*NM2o9WIc%R&P&hHUuj1-h$GqP)o&1bf reported 66% of 19-29 year-olds supported same-sex marriage, but 76% of those over 60 opposed it.

There is cnqQjyR%xeJ5sDjD6oAom7(zBcJd!9@l8S@i6@5sBbUpJ8fR$9Vurrently no discrimination legislation to protect LGBTI Koreans. Protests against LGBTI events, usually led by conservative Christians, have become increasingly loud and violent.

What’s more, South Korea has ignored calls from international rights groups to end its anti-gay law for sold)bTf5$Z=RFSCf2yl@MS(1g8Ceaem1KROAOD%hfINKGh3RR+tW*iers in the military.

In 2017, the law made headlines after it emerged a senior general used gay dating apps to e=w+aq=S8P&m(=v6$ivQiCfbBIV_apzuOedsa8=h266kF52^hsgnsnare soldiers. His so-called ‘gay witch hunt’ reportedly revealed 50 soldiers.