Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will raise the issue of LGBT rights when he meets South Korea’s president Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday, following a constitutional court ruling upholding a ban on same-sex activity within the armed forces.
The court ruled last week that the ban, which makes such activity punishable by up to two years in prison, is justified because of a putative risk to combat readiness.
“I do very much respect the right of any democracy to make their own laws. But as somebody who represents Ireland on the international stage, I will always advocate for equality for women, equality for minorities and equality for the LGBT community,” Mr Varadkar said.
“And it is good to see countries like Singapore, for example, being one of the first countries in Asia to change its laws in relation to decriminalising homosexuality. It has happened in India as well. Probably a journey to go for other countries, but definitely something that I will want to discuss with the president tomorrow, always respectful of the fact that democratic countries can make their own rules.”
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Men over 18 in South Korea are required to perform military service, regardless of their sexual orientation and the supreme court last year overturned the convictions of two soldiers who were prosecuted for having consensual sex in a private setting while off duty. The court said enforcing the law jeopardised the men’s autonomy, dignity and equality but the constitutional court found that allowing same-sex relations could undermine military discipline.
Mr Varadkar will meet Mr Yoon at the end of a three-day trade mission to South Korea as head of a delegation that also included Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris.
The Taoiseach and the president are expected to discuss a number of international issues including the war in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza.
Mr Varadkar said the European Union’s call for a humanitarian pause in the fighting was not far from the demand for a ceasefire that Ireland supported at the United Nations General Assembly.
“Call it whatever you like, it means the fighting stopping for a period of time so that the hostages can be released, so that aid can get in and so that EU citizens can get out. And we’re seeing some of that happening now, at least with some EU citizens being able to leave through the Rafah border crossing. The sad reality is, though, no matter what the European Union calls for, Israel will decide to do what it decides to do and Hamas will decide to do what it decides to do,” he said.
“It is a situation now that is very seriously deteriorating, in my view, and I’m very concerned about it. I’m very concerned about the impact on innocent civilians, initially in Israel because of the mass attack there, but now because of Israel’s response, seeing thousands of people, almost all civilians, many of them children, losing their lives. And this isn’t going to bring peace. I’m sure of that, it can’t possibly. And the fighting needs to stop.”
