Welcome back.
A pride parade...
took place... here in Seoul... this past Saturday...
AND... for more...
on where...
South Korea stands...
with regard... to social acceptance... of sexual minorities...
AS COMPARED... to its counterparts...
I have a panel... of foreign journalists...
here in the studio.
I have Raphael RASHID... with me.
RAPHAEL... welcome back.
I also have Thomas MARESCA...
here.
Thomas...
it's good... to have... here.
1) Raphael... the first pride parade... in Seoul...
took place... in the year 2000... and reportedly included...
some 50 participants.
Now... in comparison...
the event...
this year... saw... thousands of people... partaking... in the parade.
Let's start with a few words about the event this year.
NOW... this year's event was also... attended... by foreign
diplomats... in a
show
of solidarity.
And...
BEFORE... we continue...
with our talk...
LET'S TAKE... a QUICK listen... to the words... of the U.S... and British ambassadors.
"We're going to fight with you for equality and human rights."
"We're here because we share the same values and belief.
We all have the right to live in a society free from discrimination."
2) Thomas...
what are your thoughts... on the presence... of such diplomatic support... for the LGBTQ
community...
here... given...
Ambassador GOLDBERG'S words?
3) Raphael...
British Ambassador Colin Crooks... delivered...
a speech... in Korean.
He drew... much applause and praise... from the crowd.
What impact... does...
such participation... by foreign diplomats...
look to have... on efforts... to promote awareness...
about Korea's sexual minorities?
4) Thomas...
how far... has South Korea come in terms of SOCIAL acceptance... and understanding...
of the LGBTQ community?
5) And Raphael...
what are your thoughts... on the advances...
made SOCIALLY... with regard to the LGBTQ community...
here in South Korea?
6) Thomas... as mentioned though...
there is still...
much left...
to be desired...
with regard... to the rights... of sexual minorities...
here... under a LEGAL framework.
That being said...
what do you believe...
are some of the crucial issues... that need
to be addressed?
7) Raphael... based on the experiences of other countries...
what are your prospects... on the presence... of a LEGAL support framework... for
the LGBTQ community...
here in South Korea... in the future?
8) Thomas...
do you suppose...
the local ENTERTAINMENT industry has played... an active role... in seeking... to
raise awareness...
about the plight of sexual minorities?
And if so... what more...
can be done...
to make effective use... of
this medium?
9) Raphael... back... to the pride parade in Seoul...
what are some of the similarities... and perhaps...
differences...
with regard... to the pride...
here and elsewhere?
10) Thomas...
back in the year 2012...
SWEDEN chose... to include...
a GENDER-NEUTRAL PRONOUN... into its language... and
now... ten years down the road...
pundits reportedly believe...
the inclusion is changing...
the way... people there...
think.
Should we all seek to adopt...
such efforts aimed...
at
changing mentality?
All right.