South Korea's capital Seoul celebrated its first pride parade in three years with thousands of citizens taking part in an LGBT festival in downtown.

State media Yonhap reported that approximately 13,000 people were estimated to have participated in the 'Seoul Queer Culture Festival'.

Showing his support for the community, Philip Goldberg, the US ambassador to South Korea also attended the festival.

He told the crowd "To express the strong commitment of the United States to ending discrimination wherever it occurs and ensuring that everyone is treated with respect and humanity, we simply cannot leave any of you behind."

He added that "We're going to fight with you for equality and human rights."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/pride-month-lgbtqia-icons-trailblazers-you-need-to-know-488901">Also see |&nbsp;Pride Month: LGBTQIA+ icons, trailblazers you need to know</a>

Saying “discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity has no place in the 21st century,” British Ambassador Colin Crooks was applauded for his speech which he delivered in Korean.

“The experience of Britain shows that the best way to guarantee rights (for sexual minorities) is through establishing a system of legal protection,” he said.

According to the Yonhap news agency, a protest rally against the pride parade was held by Christian and conservative groups and had at least 15,000 participants.

Highlighting the tensions surrounding the rights of sexual minorities in the deeply conservative country, police were on alert as church-backed counterprotesters rallied in nearby streets.

Kim Man-seok, an official at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, told news agency Reuters that thousands of police officers from nearly 60 units were deployed to watch the demonstrators from both sides.

Members of the LGBTQIA+ community are still harshly stigmatised and frequently exposed to hate speech and crimes, while views on sexual minorities in South Korea have gradually improved in recent years.

(With inputs from agencies)

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South Korea's capital Seoul celebrated its first pride parade in three years with thousands of citizens taking part in an LGBT festival in downtown. State media Yonhap reported that approximately 13,000 people were estimated to have participated in the 'Seoul Queer Culture Festival'.

South Korea's capital Seoul celebrated its first pride parade in three years with thousands of citizens taking part in an LGBT festival in downtown. State media Yonhap reported that approximately 13,000 people were estimated to have participated in the 'Seoul Queer Culture Festival'. Showing his support for the community, Philip Goldberg, the US ambassador to South Korea also attended the festival. He told the crowd "To express the strong commitment of the United States to ending discrimination wherever it occurs and ensuring that everyone is treated with respect and humanity, we simply cannot leave any of you behind." He added that "We're going to fight with you for equality and human rights." Also see | Pride Month: LGBTQIA+ icons, trailblazers you need to know Saying “discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity has no place in the 21st century,” British Ambassador Colin Crooks was applauded for his speech which he delivered in Korean. “The experience of Britain shows that the best way to guarantee rights (for sexual minorities) is through establishing a system of legal protection,” he said. According to the Yonhap news agency, a protest rally against the pride parade was held by Christian and conservative groups and had at least 15,000 participants. Highlighting the tensions surrounding the rights of sexual minorities in the deeply conservative country, police were on alert as church-backed counterprotesters rallied in nearby streets. Kim Man-seok, an official at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, told news agency Reuters that thousands of police officers from nearly 60 units were deployed to watch the demonstrators from both sides. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community are still harshly stigmatised and frequently exposed to hate speech and crimes, while views on sexual minorities in South Korea have gradually improved in recent years. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Seoul: South Korean capital celebrates first pride parade in three years

Singapore&#39;s gay pride rally has attracted sponsorship from a record number of companies this year despite tighter government regulations aimed at stopping foreigners from supporting it, organisers said on Wednesday.

Organisers of the Pink Dot rally have raised S$253,000 ($183,000) from more than 100 Singaporean companies for the July 1 rally at a &quot;Speaker&#39;s Corner&quot; in a downtown park.

Last year, 18 companies contributed, 13 of which were multinationals like Alphabet Inc&#39;s Google and Facebook. Organisers declined to say how much was raised last year.

Days after last year&#39;s rally conservative Singapore&#39;s government announced that foreign firms would no longer be allowed to sponsor or participate in the rally.

Foreigners have never been legally allowed to join rallies in the city-state, but many have got around the restriction by &quot;observing&quot; such events.

But changes to the law announced in October removed the distinction between &quot;participants&quot; and &quot;observers&quot;, organisers said, leaving them &quot;no choice&quot; but to bar foreigners.

Darius Cheong, a Singaporean executive who led the funding drive, said the rally had gained recognition and this year&#39;s sponsors were mostly small- and medium-sized enterprises.

&quot;The more important part is to engage local companies to finally cement the position that the LGBT community is very well respected and accepted here and I think we did it,&quot; Cheng told Reuters.

The event has been celebrated since 2009. People attend dressed in pink and shining pink flashlights.

Under Singapore law, sex between men is punishable by up to two years in jail, though prosecutions are rare.

Adeline Yeo said she was disappointed that she would not be able to attend with her Polish girlfriend.

&quot;I feel let down ... we were looking forward to attending together,&quot; Yeo said. &quot;But this has definitely made us stronger,&quot; she said, referring to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. &quot;It&#39;s all the more reason to pull all your friends and colleagues together for the Pink Dot.&quot;

&nbsp;

LGBT elsewhere in Asia

The LGBT movement in other conservative Asian countries has faced pressure this year.

In neighbouring Indonesia, two men were last week publicly caned after being convicted by a sharia court of engaging in gay sex. In another part of Indonesia police have set up a special force to investigate LGBT activity.

Police in China briefly detained nine gay activists on Sunday after they tried to organise a gay rights conference, one of the activists told Reuters.

But a court in Taiwan, in a first for Asia, last week legalised same-sex marriage.

(Reuters)

In this conservative country, where sex between two men is a punishable offence, foreigners were barred from sponsoring

Singapore's gay pride rally has attracted sponsorship from a record number of companies this year despite tighter government regulations aimed at stopping foreigners from supporting it, organisers said on Wednesday. Organisers of the Pink Dot rally have raised S$253,000 ($183,000) from more than 100 Singaporean companies for the July 1 rally at a "Speaker's Corner" in a downtown park. Last year, 18 companies contributed, 13 of which were multinationals like Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook. Organisers declined to say how much was raised last year. Days after last year's rally conservative Singapore's government announced that foreign firms would no longer be allowed to sponsor or participate in the rally. Foreigners have never been legally allowed to join rallies in the city-state, but many have got around the restriction by "observing" such events. But changes to the law announced in October removed the distinction between "participants" and "observers", organisers said, leaving them "no choice" but to bar foreigners. Darius Cheong, a Singaporean executive who led the funding drive, said the rally had gained recognition and this year's sponsors were mostly small- and medium-sized enterprises. "The more important part is to engage local companies to finally cement the position that the LGBT community is very well respected and accepted here and I think we did it," Cheng told Reuters. The event has been celebrated since 2009. People attend dressed in pink and shining pink flashlights. Under Singapore law, sex between men is punishable by up to two years in jail, though prosecutions are rare. Adeline Yeo said she was disappointed that she would not be able to attend with her Polish girlfriend. "I feel let down ... we were looking forward to attending together," Yeo said. "But this has definitely made us stronger," she said, referring to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. "It's all the more reason to pull all your friends and colleagues together for the Pink Dot." LGBT elsewhere in Asia The LGBT movement in other conservative Asian countries has faced pressure this year. In neighbouring Indonesia, two men were last week publicly caned after being convicted by a sharia court of engaging in gay sex. In another part of Indonesia police have set up a special force to investigate LGBT activity. Police in China briefly detained nine gay activists on Sunday after they tried to organise a gay rights conference, one of the activists told Reuters. But a court in Taiwan, in a first for Asia, last week legalised same-sex marriage. (Reuters)

Singapore's gay pride rally attracts record sponsorship despite curbs

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Seoul: South Korean capital celebrates first pride parade in three years

Singapore's gay pride rally attracts record sponsorship despite curbs