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15 Dec 2011

Gay South Korean conscript wins refugee status in Canada

A gay South Korean man has been awarded refugee status in Canada as South Korean conscripts, especially homosexual ones, are "highly likely to face abuses."

Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported on Dec 15, 2011:

Canada awarded a South Korean man refugee status after he objected to the mandatory military service in his home country for being a pacifist and a homosexual, a local human rights group said Thursday. 

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) granted the status in July 2009 to Kim Kyung-hwan, 31, saying the gay conscript is highly likely to face abuse and mistreatment back home, according to the Center for Military Human Rights in Korea, which brought the story to light two years after the fact. 

In South Korea, all able-bodied South Korean young men are required by law to serve nearly two-year compulsory military service.

 

Korea (South)

Reader's Comments

1. 2011-12-17 20:49  
How shameful people can be... using being gay as a way to avoid just 2 years of military service for country! It sure brings shame to gay the community.
2. 2011-12-18 12:11  
Rang should check the realities in Korea before making such statements. He is presumably basing his ideas on the situation in Singapore - a different country with different attitudes.

Is he suggesting that a Canadian government board has been deceived by the evidence presented to it? I very much doubt it was deceived.

Is he also saying that a Korean human rights organisation publicized a case where it did not agree that the applicant had a valid case.

It is Rang that should be ashamed of making such comments.
3. 2011-12-19 00:16  
Well, in general, they aren't subject to any more discrimination in the military than an obese person or anyone else, since homosexuality isn't considered a social problem in Korean society unless it's institutionalized, such as via marriage. That's the "reality" in Korea.

Suicide is an increasing issue due to bullying; but, should everyone who's subject to those pressures escape conscription (or, their families, schools, or careers) and seek refugee status in another country?--If so, Canada is going to be overpopulated w/ people from all over the world... Hell, maybe I'll move there, too!

Homosexuality isn't illegal in Korea; it doesn't have relevance to a person's ability to serve in the military; and, people do not murder each other over it. If there's a human rights issue, it needs to be resolved; this isn't the way to do it. Think before you rush to extreme conclusions.
Comment edited on 2011-12-19 00:40:16
4. 2011-12-22 22:12  
You are all welcome to move here. ( :
Comment #5 was deleted by its author on 2011-12-23 01:03
6. 2011-12-23 01:02  
IHwiorae , while I understand and appreciate your attempts to "explain" the situation in Korea- and since you are a Korean native you certainly could not go wrong on that- there seems to be a dismissive attitude toward your fellow compatriot seeking asylum from your tone of post. What made it even more curious is the fact that you yourself are actually residing in Sweden, a Western-European country! So it's a case of "OK-for me-but-NOT-for-others" kinda mindset,huh?
7. 2013-08-05 12:55  
Koreans are very homophobic, the Korena comuty in New York are very homofobic i can imagen how the people are in that country.

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