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With same-sex marriages becoming a source of controversy the world over, Korea's first public same-sex marriage was conducted in a Jong-no café Sunday.
Two male homosexuals, 36-year-old Lee Sang-cheol and 32-year-old Pak Jong-geun, publicly tied the knot at 12:00 noon Sunday in a ceremony attended by around 30 well-wishers.
Lee and Pak first met at a theater in Jong-no in October 2002 and later became lovers. They were an office couple at "Open Mind" (Korean: "Ddan Saenggak"), a business specializing in goods and services for the gay community. For Park, the marriage also marked his "coming out."
Park Cheol-min, president of Open Mind, said the wedding was conducted in a solemn manner and according to the same traditions that usually accompany heterosexual marriage ceremonies. Park also officiated the wedding.
As he was officiating, Park said, "Today's wedding is not a simple rite of passage, but two people overcoming the difficulties and pain they have experienced and pledging to live openly as homosexuals. It is also a ceremony that will become a sign to fellow homosexuals."
The previous day, Lee and Pak attempted to register their marriage at their district office, but officials refused to accept their application. Instead, they decided to confirm their love through a publicly notarized document.
Lee said, "I hope today's public wedding ceremony becomes an opportunity for homosexuals to live while supporting one another... I wanted to help [Pak] get health insurance benefits and all, but while living together, there was no way to do that, so we determined to get married."
He said, "Although it's impossible for homosexuals to get married legally in Korea, we're thinking of joining with the homosexual rights group 'Between Friends' to conduct a legal struggle."
The two plan to have some fun at Lotte World following the wedding ceremony, then head on a one night, two day "honeymoon" in Cheongpyeong.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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