Virus outbreak linked to Seoul clubs popular with LGBT community stokes homophobia
Coronavirus Pandemic 방역퇴치를 위해 정부와 관련의료진들의 수고가 많은것에 대해 많은 국민들은 그분들의 희생과 치료의 열정에 대해 감사해 하고있다. 그고마움을 모르는 사람들은 없을 것이다.일부를 제외하고.
헌법에는, 한국에 거주하는 모든 국민들은 법앞에 평등하고, 불평등의 불이익을 당해서는 안된다는 내용을 명확히 명시하고있다. 내기억으로는 50여년전만 해도 집안에 신체적 불구자(Disabled)있을경우, 집안의 수치(?)라 여기고 사회적활동은 고사하고, 외부에 알려지는것 조차 꺼려 했었다. 당시 한국사회의 보편적인 현상이었었다.
성소수자, 즉 Gay 또는 Lesbian에 대한 인식은 부족해서, 때로는 본인자신도 성소수자에 속한것도 모르고 세상을 살면서, 젊은 청년시절을 고통속에서 살아온 상당수의 사람들이 있었는데, 삶의 질이 좋아지고, LGBT에 대한 인식이 사회적으로 많이 향상 되고 이해를 하면서도, 정작 자기네 집안에서 그러한 환자(?)있을때는 이역시 외부에 노출되는것을 두려워 하면서, 남의 집안에서 그런 상황이 있을때는 사회가 이들을 환자로 취급하지말고, 동등하게 대접해줄 사회적 성숙도가 필요하다고 주장한다. 이중 잣대를 사용하는 우리한국사회의, 외형을 중요시하는 고질병중의 하나다.
이태원과 강남의 Night Club에서 밤마다 젊은이들이 뒤엉켜서 광란의 파티를 했었다는 뉴스는 충격적이다. 이사건이 터진후에, 당국과 사회적 분위기는 광란의 파티를 한 사람들중에서 유난히도 Gay와 Lesbian들에게만 시선을 집중조명해서, 그들을 비난하기에 앞서, Social Distancing을 철저히 지키도록 일선에서 공권력을 집행하는 담당자들의 눈감아주기식 또는 뇌물먹고 눈감아 주었는지의 여부, 또아니면, 권력을 갖인자들의 압력에 의해 공권력 집행을 할수 없었기 때문에, 어깨와 어깨, 궁둥이와 궁둥이들을 비벼대면서 광란의 파티를 하도록 내버려 주었었는지? 원하는 답변은 청와대나 서울시에서 아직까지도 없다.
Coronavirus Pandemic을 퇴치하고, 전염을 차단하기위해, 의료전문가들이 연구와 임상실험을 통하여 만든방법중의 하나가 대인관계를 하는데, Social distancing(안전거리유지)으로 2미터간격을 두라는 것으로, 한국을 비롯한 전세계가 똑같이 이법칙을 강제적으로 준수하도록했으며, 이것도 안전하지 않아, 지금은 Lockdown 명령을 내려, 아예 Emergency인 경우를 제외하고는 집밖의 출입까지도 막고있다.
이런상황인데, 이태원과 강남의 Night Club에서는 영업을 계속했었다니... 우선 생각되는게, 그동안 한국이 Coronavirus Pandemic의 퇴치에서, 세계각나라로부터 모범적 그리고 확진여부검사를 신속히 할수있는 Testing Kit을 신속히 만들어, 명성이 높았었는데, 그탑이 일순간에 다 무너져 내리는 눈속임의 법적용을 하는 이중잣대를 비밀리에 사용하다 들통난 것이다. 한국에 대한 진정성과 믿음이 또 무너져 내린것이다.
위에서 언급한것 처럼, 성역없이 똑같이 법적용을 했어야 했는데, 왜 예외적으로 Night Club에서만 엉덩이 비벼대고 Saliva들이 춤추게 만들었는지에 대해, 검찰은 관련자들을, 위로부터는 대통령부터 아래로는 Front line에서 수고하는 경찰관들에 이르기까지 조사해서, 진범을 찾아 법의 심판을 받게하고, 다시는 이런 2중 잣대가 법적용에 이용되서는 안된다는 준엄한 경고성 메세지를 국민들에게, 그리고 정치꾼들에게 보여 주어야 한다.
여기서 홍콩의 Coronavirus Pandemic 방역대책이, 중국의 Wuhan에서 발생했다고 뉴스를 보자마자 바로 중국과 모든 왕래를 차단하고, 격리하여, 아시아지역에서는 가장 작은 확진자와 사망자발생 막는데 대한 홍콩정부의 신속한조치에 대한 현명함을 보면서, 당시에 한국은 거꾸로 하늘문, 바닷문등등을 모두 활짝열어, 중국 다음으로 많은 확진자가 삽시간에 전염되게 했던 문재인 정부를 생각해 봤었다.
그때의 방역실패를 거울삼아 방역을 잘하는것으로 다시 세계적 명성을 얻었었는데, 뒷구멍으로는 이태원과 강남의 Night Club에서, 다시 Social Distancing을 완전무시하고, 젊은이들과 LGBT들이 어울려 광란의 파티를 즐기도록 Rule을 활짝열어주어, 그결과는 다시 상상을 초월하는 확진자들이 발생하여, 지난 몇달동안에 한국이, Coronavirus Pandemic방역과 퇴치에 잘한다고 힘들게 쌓아올린 명성을 다시 시궁창으로 처박아 버렸다.
왜 이정부는 모든 하는정책들이 용두사미식으로 반짝했다가, 슬며시 스스로 법을 어기는 시궁창을 만드는지 이해를 할수가 없다. Social Distancing의 Rule을 왜 Night club에만, 치외법권을 부여했었는지? 아니면 권력을 남용하는 특권층의 압력에 최일선 공권력이 무너져서 이런 참극을 다시 만들었는지? 궁금하다.
노란 자켓만 입으면 전염병퇴치 임무수행하는것은 더욱 아니라는것을 참외하는 심정으로 느꼈으면 한다.
당국은 LGBTQ Community만을 공격하는, 편파적 수사를 하고, 국민들의 생각을 그쪽으로 몰아, 그렇치 않아도 어렵게 사회생활해 가는 그사람들을 궁지에 몰아넣고있다.
여기서 CNN의 기사내용을 잠시 보자.
한국의 LGBT인권연대는 경고하기를 미디아보도의 인종차별적인 보도는 Coronavirus Pandemic방역협조 하기를 거부하고 지하로 숨게 만들게 하고있다. "즉 자가격리와 테스트를 더 어렵게 할뿐이다"라고 그들이 밝힌 성명서에서 주장하고있다.
자신을 Gay라고 밝힌 서울거주 25세의 한친구와 본인 신상 밝히기를 꺼리는 또 다른 친구는 당국의 인간차별의 두려움에 시달리고 있으며, 자신은 이태원에 있는 두곳의 Night Club에 갔었는데 5월초에 발생했던 Covid-19과 연관되여 있다고 했다.
"Gay들은 이를 심각하게 여기고있다. 자신들이 신상이 노출되고 인생이 파멸될수있거나, 그렇게 되지 않을려면 숨어 있어야 하는데, 그렇치 않으면 Coronavirus전염시켰다는 위험에 직면할것 같다. Gay들은 이중잣대의 적용을 받는 기분이다. 즉 신상을 자세히 밝히는 당당한 시민이 될것과 나라를 위해 확진검사를 받으라는 강요를 를 받고있지만, 정작 나라에서는 자신들을 더러운인간으로 취급하고 있다는 점에 울분을 터뜨린다."라고.
한국에는, 이웃나라 일본과 자유중국에서 처럼 LGBTQ 성소수자들이 법적으로 보호받고 사회활동을 똑같이 하고있는것처럼, 성소수자 즉 LGBTQ들을 보호하기위한 납득할만한 반인종차별법이 입법화 된게없다. 또한 한국사회는 동성애자들 부부를 거의 인정하지 않고 있다.
한국은 이런 나라이기 때문에 Coronavirus Pandemic방역과 퇴치를 하기위해, 치외법권적인 열외 규정을 두어서도 안되고, 누구나 똑같이 법적용앞에서는 동등한 대우를 받는 사회를 만들어야 한다. 제발 이제는 겉치례만 할려고 하는 그런 못살고, 남을 속여야 내가 살아 남을수 있을때에나 필요했었던 표면적인 규범과 상식은 버려야 하지 않을까? 노란자켓 보기도 싫다. 그들이 가증스럽게 보이기 때문이다.
Seoul, South Korea (CNN)A
cluster of coronavirus cases connected to clubs frequented by South
Korea's gay community has sparked an outpouring of hate speech towards
the country's already-embattled LGBTQ population.
More
than 100 cases have been linked to nightlife venues in the South Korean
capital, and on Saturday, Seoul ordered all clubs and bars to
temporarily close.
The
cluster has caused alarm in South Korea, which was among the first
countries outside of China to deal with a large-scale coronavirus
outbreak. In recent weeks, however, authorities had begun loosening
restrictions as case numbers fell.
The
suggestion that the outbreak is linked to the city's gay scene has
sparked a huge backlash against the LGBTQ community, including the
29-year-old man believed to be at the center of the cluster.
Local
media has emphasized his sexual orientation and reported that the clubs
he visited are gay venues, although the venues do not openly describe
themselves as such on their official websites or social media accounts.
That reaction could make contact tracing
harder, with people afraid to be associated with the LGBTQ community
and having their sexuality outed.
Although
all three venues linked to the cluster asked for customers' full names
and phone numbers on arrival, the city has been unable to contact almost
2,000 club-goers -- meaning they either avoided the calls or gave a
false number, Seoul's mayor Park Won-soon said Monday.
The
city has had to employ other measures to track them. Using phone signal
tower records, the city found that 10,905 people were in the vicinity
of the clubs in the nightlife suburb of Itaewon between April 24 and May
6. Authorities have texted them all, saying they should get tested.
Officials have also used credit cards to track almost 500 people, who
have been asked to get tested and self-quarantine.
The
number of people who had been tested had nearly doubled between Sunday
and Monday, after authorities began offering anonymous tests, Park said
Tuesday.
"The growing number of condemnation and hate speech definitely does not help and only has adverse effects," he said.
The outbreak also showed the need to always be on alert, Park said.
"If
the disease penetrates Seoul, the Korean peninsula is penetrated," he
said in an interview with CNN. "We are seriously afraid, trying to find
out the visitors as soon as possible."
How the case unfolded
On
the night of May 1 and the early hours of May 2, a 29-year-old man
visited several clubs in Itaewon, according to the South Korean Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). On May 7, the man tested
positive for Covid-19.
At the
time when the man went to the clubs, South Korea was still under strict
social distancing rules, and citizens were encouraged to stay home and
limit unnecessary contact with others. Those social distancing rules
were lifted on May 6.
KCDC deputy
director Kwon Joon-wook said Tuesday that there are now two people
identified as first showing symptoms on May 2 and said the Itaewon
cluster may have "various epicenters or sources."
Under non-inforceable pandemic reporting
guidelines that were drafted by Korea's journalist associations, media
are told to avoid violating patients' privacy and using sensational
language in reporting.
But as the
news broke, several South Korean media organizations reported that the
bars the 29-year-old had visited were gay bars. That detail, coupled
with the already-publicly available information about the man's age,
district of residence, and movements, meant that the media had
effectively outed him, potentially putting his employment at risk.
South Korean authorities have urged the public not to target individuals or specific communities.
Kwon
said it was important to protect the personal information of those
infected, and South Korean authorities have warned that leaking personal
information of Covid-19 patients could also be a criminal offense.
On
Monday, a Ministry of Health official, Yoon Tae-ho, said that there had
been a trend of "criticism and hate against a certain group to which
the infection occurred," without explicitly naming the LGBTQ community.
"Leaking
personal information of confirmed patients or spreading baseless rumors
not only harms other but could be criminally punished," Yoon added.
In
a statement, LGBT rights advocacy group, Solidarity for LGBT Human
Rights of Korea, said the media's decision to reveal personal details of
the 29-year-old patient had incited hatred and was a serious human
rights violation.
"The attitude of
media, who are obsessed with revealing the sexual orientation of the
confirmed case and digging up information that has nothing to do with
the disease, is adding a stigma of the disease to the hatred of
minorities that has been prevalent in Korean society," the statement
said.
A wider issue of discrimination
Solidarity
for LGBT Human Rights of Korea also warned that discriminatory media
reports would drive the coronavirus underground. "It makes
self-isolation and testing difficult," the statement said.
That
is also a concern of one 25-year-old in Seoul, who identifies as gay
and who asked to be anonymous out of fear of discrimination,who says he
was at two of the Itaewon clubs connected with the outbreak in early
May.
"Gays feel cornered. Either
out yourself and potentially ruin your life, or stay in the closet but
risk spreading corona," he said. "Gays are also feeling like there's
this double standards, where they are being asked to be upstanding
citizens and 'get tested for your country,' meanwhile the country treats
them like dirt."
South Korea has
no comprehensive anti-discrimination laws to protect LGBTQ South
Koreans, and compared to nearby democracies such as Japan and Taiwan,
the country is less accepting of same-sex couples.
LGBTQ soldiers serving in South Korea's military face abuse and discrimination, according to an Amnesty International report.
Homosexual sex is illegal in the military whether it happens on or off
base, and regardless of whether one party is not an enlisted soldier --
something that is not the case for heterosexual sex.
The 25-year-old says the backlash to the latest cluster is only going to inflame that situation, with many in LGBTQ community afraid they might lose their jobs. Some have been threatened on the gay dating app Grindr, he added.
"Korea
is such a homophobic place, these clubs are really a haven for these
people," he says. "I would hate to see them shut down permanently
because of this virus or homophobia."
The night out he had in early May was a normal evening, he says.
"Boys
out dancing to K-pop, grabbing drinks, talking to old friends, really
innocent stuff," he said. "It's frustrating that the media is treating
them all like sex clubs."
How clubs should handle coronavirus
The
outbreak has also highlighted the difficulty in containing outbreaks in
clubs around the world -- regardless of the clubgoers' orientation.
Bars are often frequented by young people -- and experts believe that while this demographic is less likely to die from the virus, they may have contributed to its spread.
That's
an issue that other countries are also thinking about. When New
Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday that she was
easing lockdown restrictions, she opted to delay opening the country's
clubs and bars, pointing to South Korea's experience.
Over the weekend, Hong Kong's famous nightlife district Lan Kwai Fong reopened, although clubs and karaoke bars remain closed.
Allan
Zeman, the chairman of Lan Kwai Fong, said that bars only filled about
50% of capacity, tables were spread out, patron's temperatures were
taken and people needed to wear masks before they came inside. Patrons
were also encouraged to leave their name and contact details. Over the
weekend, many partygoers gathered on the street outside bars, which was
"pretty upsetting," he said.
He
expects that bars and clubs will be taking additional precautions --
such as temperature checks -- for some time, but doesn't expect people
to stop going out altogether.
"It's human nature -- people want to go out, they want to enjoy themselves," he said. "You need to otherwise you'll explode."
Back
in Seoul, the authorities are also trying to strike that balancing act.
Park said citizens demand economic activities -- but at the same time,
they needed to deal with coronavirus.
"We are living at the age of coronavirus and human beings (living in) coexistence."
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/12/asia/south-korea-club-outbreak-intl-hnk/index.html
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