Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he will raise the issue of LGBT rights with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol when the two meet in Seoul on Friday.
Mr Varadkar and three ministers are taking part in a trade mission to the country that forms part of a “big bang” strategy to improve Irish relations with less-visited countries.
The Taoiseach is scheduled to discuss security issues, peacekeeping and multilateralism with the South Korean leader, but he told reporters in Seoul he would also seek to mention LGBT issues.
His comments come after South Korea’s constitutional court recently upheld a law banning same-sex relations in the military.
Mr Varadkar said: “As somebody who represents Ireland on the international stage I will always advocate for equality for women, for minorities and for the LGBT community.
“It is good to see countries like Singapore for example being one of the first countries in Asia to change its laws in relation to decriminalising homosexuality, it happened in India as well but there is a journey to go for other countries.
“It is definitely something I will want to discuss with the president but always respectful of the fact that democratic countries can make their own rules.”
In a post on X, Mr Varadkar said he began his day with a visit to a war memorial in Seoul.
Paying tribute this morning in #Seoul to the Irish soldiers and civilians who died in the Korean War, by laying a wreath in their honour. And still today in the most challenging circumstances Irish soldiers serve alongside Korean in the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon pic.twitter.com/6lACOLIMZ8
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) November 3, 2023
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He said: “Paying tribute this morning in #Seoul to the Irish soldiers and civilians who died in the Korean War, by laying a wreath in their honour.
“And still today in the most challenging circumstances Irish soldiers serve alongside Korean in the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.”
Mr Varadkar also told reporters he could not envision a voting pact between Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Green Party in upcoming elections.
“I don’t anticipate a formal voting pact between the Government parties in the local and European elections or in the general election,” he said.
“We are separate parties with separate policy programmes and separate traditions so I think we will go to the country in that vein.
“But I do think there are people who vote for Fianna Fail, Fine Gael or the Greens who do want to transfer to each other in much greater numbers than in the past and that makes sense because we have worked well together.
“We are getting people’s work done and the potential exists for this Government to continue beyond the next election and for us to keep populism out.”
When asked if he would remain as Fine Gael leader should his party enter opposition after the next general election, Mr Varadkar said his “intention is to lead Fine Gael into the next general election to gain votes and gain seats and then hopefully be able to put together another government”.
He added: “I’m not even thinking as far as that at this stage.”
On Thursday, Mr Varadkar visited the demilitarised zone between South Korea and North Korea as his first engagement during the trade mission, which marks 40 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and South Korea.
