[Appendix] List of Choi Ee-Woo’s comments against human rights and sexual minorities
1. Choi Ee-Woo demanded for the re-evaluation and revision of ethics textbooks on the
grounds that they were encouraging homosexuality.
On June 28, 2013, Choi Ee-Woo claimed that certain ethics textbooks were encouraging
homosexuality and signed a statement issued by the Mirae Mokhwe Forum (Future Pastors
Forum), which demanded that the Korean Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) and
the textbooks’ publishers re-evaluate and revise the textbooks. This statement argued that “some
high school ethics textbooks are not only delineating a biased portrayal of homosexuality—which
the majority of Korean people perceive negatively—but also intentionally encouraging
homosexuality.” The specific sentences that the statement demanded be revised and removed from
the textbooks are listed below:
“It is difficult to say that sexual minorities are medically abnormal, because nobody willingly
chooses their sexual preference, and sexual minorities are no different from cisgender, straight
people.”
“It is difficult to find precise grounds to claim that sexual minorities are unethical.”
“The argument that we cannot ethically condemn or impose responsibility on someone for having
a certain sexual preference was already accepted by the American Psychological Association in
1973.”
“That homosexuality is not the cause of AIDS has already been medically confirmed.”
2. Choi Ee-Woo opposed the Anti-Discrimination Law, which would have banned the
discrimination of sexual minorities.
During a section on the Christian Television Station1 on March 28, 2013, Choi Ee-woo revealed
that he opposed the Anti-Discrimination Law, which would ban the discrimination of sexual
minorities. His specific statement was as follows:
The Anti-Discrimination Law in our society! Christianity is concerned of the damage
that this problem will have on our society. While care and love for the weak is important,
if that love means that we must condone the evil in our lives, then the Church must
categorically reject it.
1 ‘Christian Television Station; Section: The Church Talks’ – Pastor Choi Ee-Woo, 2013.03.28
http://mokpo.cts.tv/CTSNEW/html/broadcast/prog/content.asp?PID=P368&DPID=153612
3. Choi Ee-Woo made a statement that “homosexuality is a sin”.
During a symposium on November 20, 2014, Choi Ee-Woo asserted that “homosexuality is a sin”,
and that “but in the way Jesus told an adulteress ‘neither do I condemn you’, neither do I condemn
[homosexuals] for their sins.”2
4. Choi Ee-Woo acted as a committee member of Mirae Mokhwe Forum (Future Pastoral
Forum), which advocates homophobia and opposes the Anti-Discrimination Law.
Consisting of about 300 pastors, the Mirae Mokhwe Forum (Future Pastoral Forum)’s activities
include opposing the enactment of the Anti-Discrimination Law and issuing statements
condemning homosexuality. Choi Ee-Woo has served as the Mirae Mokhwe Forum’s Chairman
and Executive Director, and is currently acting as the group’s Vice Chair. The specific activities
of the Mirae Mokhwe Forum are listed below.
(1) On March 15, 2012, before the 4.11 presidential elections, the Mirae Mokhwe Forum issued
their 「Behavioral Guidelines for Christian Voters」, which delineates how Christian voters
should act during an election. The 「Behavioral Guidelines for Christian Voters」 includes rules
such as “candidates for the Students Human Rights Ordinance3 and Sukuk Law should not be
supported” and “candidates who oppose the Anti-Discrimination Law should be supported”.4
(2) The Mirae Mokhwe Forum participated in the 「 National Solidarity Against AntiDiscrimination Law」 and held activities to prevent the enactment of the Anti-Discrimination
Law. Aside from making complaint calls to the members of the Bill Examination Subcommittee,
the 「National Solidarity Against Anti-Discrimination Law」 threatened to launch an anticampaign against the congressmen who proposed the bill in the event the bill passed.5
(3) The Mirae Mokhwe Forum joined the 「Task Force Against Anti-Religion」. The 「Task
Force Against Anti-Religion」 condemned homosexuality during a press conference by saying
2
3
4
Christian Today, ‘Pastor Choi Ee-Woo: “Pressure to resign from NHRCK, a rite of passage of sorts”’, 2014.11.21
Ordinance that mentions prohibiting discrimination of sexual minorities in schools
Amennews, “ Don’t publicly express political opinions while preaching – Mirae Mokhwe Forum issues
「Behavioral Guidelines for Christian Voters」 in light of 4.11 Presidential Election”, 2012.03.15
5 Seoul Newspaper, ‘Protestants: “Anti-Discrimination Law could violate the Right to Freedom and the Pursuit of
Happiness of the Church and our conscience”’, 2013.03.22
that “…the acceptance of homosexuality could…damage creationism and destroy the social
community as we know it”. The Task Force additionally stated that “creating a new law to regulate
a human rights issue that could be adequately handled by the already existing National Human
Rights Commission Act would serve to increase confusion in society” and that “categorizing
homosexuality and elements opposed to the teachings of the Church as discrimination will make
all Christians potential criminals.”6
(4) On August 7, 2011, the Mirae Mokhwe Forum condemned the Korean Broadcasting Station
(KBS)’s soap opera “The Daughters of Club Bilitis” as “encouraging homosexuality” and
declared that “the biggest problem of homosexuality is that it makes it difficult to create a healthy
family, spreads diseases, and hinders social development by reducing birth rates” and that “while
everyone’s human rights should be protected, that still cannot be a justification for cultivating or
encouraging social ills.”7
(5) On the U.S Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
that had stipulated systematical discrimination against gay marriage, the Mirae Mokhwe Forum
issued a critical opinion declaring that the decision was “one that went against the sound
sentiments of the majority of citizens and God’s divine providence.”8
Deulsori Times, “Anti-Discrimination Law, Bad Influence to Church and Society – Religious community shows
concern and criticism over recognizing homosexuality”, 2013.03.20
7 News-Pan, ‘KBS Soap opera “The Daughters of Club Bilitis” from a Christian Perspective – The first soap opera to
handle lesbian issues on a public network…’, 2011.08.10
8 Australia Korean Herald, “Extension of gay marriage rights, a misjudgment forever in disgrace”, 2013.07.27
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