Still ‘Later’—Even Under the New Lee Jaemyung Administration
- lgbtnewskorea
- Aug 19
- 5 min read
Human rights postponed again: The Anti-Discrimination Law remains out of reach under the Lee Jaemyung government.
English Translation: 피웊
Translation review: 지니
Writer of the original text: 레이
Review and amendments to the original text: Miguel
Web & SNS Posting: Miguel
News Card Design: 가리
The Anti-Discrimination Law is designed to prohibit discrimination across all areas of society and to provide effective remedies for victims, ultimately realizing substantive equality. One of the most contentious aspects of the law has always been whether to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as protected grounds. These provisions have consistently faced fierce opposition from religious groups, and politicians have echoed such resistance, resulting in the failure to even initiate proper public discussion.
For sexual minorities, the Anti-Discrimination Law is not merely about legal protection — it is a matter of basic survival. Many face the risk of being outed at work, fired, and left without any means of redress. The law represents a minimal safety net that allows sexual minorities to live with dignity and equality. And yet, despite tireless advocacy from some quarters, the law still has not been enacted.
18 Years of Stagnation: The Push for a Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Law
South Korea has been stuck in place on this issue for 18 years. When the Ministry of Justice first introduced a draft of the Anti-Discrimination Law in 2007, conservative Christian organizations launched fierce opposition, citing language that included “sexual orientation.” The revised bill eventually submitted excluded seven grounds for discrimination — including sexual orientation — leading to criticism from civil society that the government was selectively trimming the law to cater to vested interests. Amid widespread backlash, the bill was ultimately scrapped.
Since then, every session of the National Assembly has seen attempts to reintroduce the law, only for them to fail again and again.
A potential turning point came in April 2020, when progressive parties like the Democratic Party and the Justice Party won a sweeping victory in the 21st general elections. Lawmaker Jang Hyeyoung of the Justice Party and nine others reintroduced a comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Bill. Additional proposals followed from Democratic Party lawmakers, including Lee Sangmin, Park Joomin, and Kwon Insook. Momentum seemed to grow in June 2021, when a national petition calling for the law’s enactment gathered more than 100,000 signatures, automatically referring it to the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Under the Korean National Assembly Act, any online petition that secures 100,000 or more signatures is required to be reviewed. Yet, the bills remained stalled in committee and, as the 22nd National Assembly convenes, they remain unresolved — an “unfinished task.”
For specific contents of the bill: https://equalityact.kr/equalityact-bill/ — While most drafts share a core principle of banning discriminatory acts on grounds including “sexual orientation” and “gender identity,” they differ in the number of protected grounds, the domains covered, and mechanisms for redress.
For the 18 years that the law has remained stalled, the lives and suffering of social minorities — including sexual minorities — have been neglected and pushed aside.
The Debate Reignited in the 2025 Presidential Election
The Anti-Discrimination Law resurfaced as a heated issue in the 2025 presidential election. During a nationally televised debate hosted by the National Election Commission on May 18, Kwon Youngguk, candidate for the Democratic Labor Party, stated that “passing the Anti-Discrimination Law is one of the most urgent demands among youth in their 20s and 30s,” and directly asked Lee Jaemyung whether he supported its enactment. Lee responded cautiously: “It’s not desirable to leave discrimination unaddressed, especially when it arises from certain factors,” but quickly added, “While the direction is correct, it’s hard to prioritize it right now,” once again taking a deferred position.
Read: LGBT News Korea’s coverage of LGBTQ policy in the 21st presidential election — “Queer People in the Square and the 21st Presidential Election”
Kwon immediately pushed back: “Is this really a matter of social consensus? I would argue it’s a matter of political will.” His comment directly challenged the long-standing excuse — that the law must wait for more “social consensus” — which has been used to delay action for nearly two decades. That even the country’s leading presidential candidates still failed to take a clear stance showed how thoroughly LGBTQ rights remain sidelined in Korean politics.
Under the Lee Jaemyung Administration, the Law Remains on Hold
Upon taking office, President Lee Jaemyung nominated lawmaker Kim Minseok as his candidate for Prime Minister. Kim, a Christian, repeated familiar lines during a June 17 press conference with foreign correspondents, saying that “more social dialogue is needed” on the Anti-Discrimination Law. Notably, he remarked that “there are desperate voices of opposition who fear they might be punished” for expressing religious objections — a comment based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the law.
In fact, none of the 11 Anti-Discrimination Bills submitted so far has included any criminal penalties for discriminatory acts themselves. The only criminal clause applies when retaliatory action is taken against someone for filing a complaint — and even then, mere discriminatory speech is not subject to punishment. Former Justice Party lawmaker Jang Hyeyoung criticized the rhetoric, stating: “It is wrong to elevate exaggerated fears based on falsehoods into a supposed ‘constitutional concern.’” She added, “As a senior lawmaker and Prime Minister nominee, it is his responsibility to correct misinformation and calm public fears — not to justify and spread them using his platform.”
Criticism also resurfaced over comments Kim made in November 2023 at an event hosted by the Christian group “Mission Network of Private School Corporations,” where he said, “If everyone chose homosexuality, humanity would no longer be sustainable,” adding, “This cannot be treated as a matter of relativism or changing values.”2
But the problem extends beyond the Prime Minister nominee. President Lee Jaemyung himself has consistently shown a lukewarm attitude toward the Anti-Discrimination Law. At a press conference marking his first 30 days in office, held at the Blue House on July 3, he was asked about his plans for the law. He replied, “In policymaking, some issues are heavier and more urgent than others. I believe we should start with the most pressing ones,” adding, “Livelihood and the economy are more urgent.” He continued, “For contentious issues like this, concentrated social discussion is necessary,” concluding, “It would be better for the National Assembly to take the lead” — once again deferring the matter.3
In response, Rainbow Action, a coalition of 48 civic and human rights groups for LGBTQ equality, issued a strong rebuke, calling this “a regressive mindset that places human rights outside the realm of everyday survival.” They said, “We agree that the economy and livelihoods are urgent. But protecting the lives of minorities from discrimination is also a matter of livelihood — and it’s just as urgent.”
President Lee has emphasized public communication through town hall meetings, saying, “If possible, I’d like to discuss issues that affect the entire nation alongside those specific to certain regions, and explore workable alternatives.” But in everyday life, discrimination is not a side issue — it is a pervasive and structural problem. The enactment of the Anti-Discrimination Law is not a fringe agenda, but a core step toward universal human rights.4 It is time for the “pragmatic government” he champions — one that acts, not just talks; one that proposes solutions instead of deflecting — to demonstrate that commitment through the passage of the Anti-Discrimination Law.
English Translation: 피웊
Translation review: 지니
Writer of the original text: 레이
Review and amendments to the original text: Miguel
Web & SNS Posting: Miguel
News Card Design: 가리
References (available in Korean)
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