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The Queer Cultural Festival online feed for the opening ceremony is alive and counting down to Tuesday night’s event.

The Korea Queer Cultural Festival (KQCF) organising committee member Yun Candy said they officially recommend watching the opening ceremony on YouTube via the live feed.

“We cannot stop people coming and joining the opening ceremony but you should understand that we may not be able to take care of the participants,” Yun said.

Due to the current MERS contagion the organising committee decided to minimise the possibility that MERS will be spread at the opening ceremony.

They also minimised staff at the event and therefore cannot coordinate or cater to attendees.

Despite this, several members of the non-affirming Christian groups intend to disregard health risks and follow Professor Gil Won-pyoung’s request to protest the event.

“If you want to go to the Queer Festival on 9th of June do not go to Seoul Square, go across the pedestrian walkway to the other side of the road and wear a mask marked with an X to silently (individually) protest against the homosexuals,” Gil writes in Korean.

While Gil recognises the risk that MERS can be contracted at the event and passed onto the few members of the LGBT community that may be HIV positive, he also encourages children to protest at the opening ceremony.

“Take your children to Chunggye Square and provide the right values regarding homosexuality,” he writes.

This message from Gil was circulated on Facebook and many expats retaliated with replies that they will now attend the event in person to support the LGBT community despite the alleged health risks.

“There will still be some of us going to the Plaza,” Craig Bartlertt said – a straight expat who is an ally of the Korea LGBTQ community. “Don’t be afraid to come out,” he added.

The YouTube link, which is actively counting down, will be live at 8:00pm and broadcast from Seoul National Plaza.