Seoul superintendent candidate faces backlash over anti-queer campaign banners

Criticism is mounting against a Seoul education superintendent candidate over campaign banners, with civic groups accusing him of promoting hatred against sexual minorities. The banners for Seoul Metropolitan Superintendent candidate Cho Jeon-hyeok carry the slogan “expel queer homosexuality education,” and his campaign blog also pledges to block the annual queer festival held at Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall. The Korean coalition for sexual minority rights Rainbow Action, youth support center Dding Dong and Coalition for Anti-Discrimination Legislation released a joint statement Friday, condemning the banners as an act that denies the existence of LGBTQ students and openly promotes hatred. The groups expressed outrage over the public display of anti-LGBTQ sentiments during the election campaign, saying these messages undermine the democratic values that elections are meant to represent. They also criticized Cho, lamenting that someone lacking an understanding of the education system and the qualifications of an educator is running in the superintendent race. The groups urged theWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times