[Exclusive] Education Ministry Excludes 'Sexual Minorities' While Trying to Prevent Hate and Discrimination

A controversial exclusion has been identified in the Education Ministry's newly created "hate speech and discrimination response handbook." The handbook, intended to prevent incidents like the "5·18 political joke" at Bukhansan High School's baseball team, failed to include content addressing sexual minorities. Six out of seven experts who reviewed the handbook strongly objected, arguing that the government was inadvertently promoting discrimination and hate speech.

Critics point to the influence of conservative factions within the conservative-led government, which pushed for the exclusion of sexual minority content. The handbook, intended to be distributed nationwide, lacks definitions of sexual orientation and gender identity, crucial factors in defining hate speech. Critics argue that excluding these terms represents a retreat from the progressive stance of the Moon Jae-in administration, which had previously included such terms in its anti-discrimination guidelines.

The exclusion has been criticized as an act of deliberate exclusion and discrimination, potentially placing sexual minority students at risk of harassment and even suicide. The issue has drawn criticism from various quarters, including academics, human rights advocates, and even within the conservative government itself.