S. Korean presidential hopeful accused of anti-gay comments
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A protester holding a rainbow flag, approaches South Korea's presidential candidate Moon Jae-in from the Democratic Party, left, at National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, April 26, 2017. South Korean presidential front-runner Moon Jae-in has outraged persecuted sexual minority groups by saying during a television debate that he opposes homosexuality. (Ahn Jung-won/Yonhap via AP) (The Associated Press)
South Korean presidential front-runner Moon Jae-in has outraged persecuted sexual minority groups by saying during a television debate that he opposes homosexuality.
Moon, a liberal candidate and former human rights lawyer, made the comments Tuesday night while responding to a conservative presidential candidate who argued gay soldiers were weakening the country's military.
Moon's response follows recent accusations by a watchdog group that South Korea's military has been hunting down and prosecuting gay servicemen. That allegation raised worries of more discrimination and hate crimes against sexual minorities.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In conservative South Korea, LGBTQ people are harshly stigmatized and struggle with political visibility because a powerful Christian lobby keeps politicians from passing anti-discrimination laws.