Seoul celebrates first Pride parade in three years

Rain was not enough to dampen Pride celebrations in Seoul on Saturday as the South Korean capital's annual parade returned for the first time in three years due to the corona virus pandemic.

Revelers wearing or waving rainbow flags cheered to speeches and swayed to music from a stage at a plaza in front of city hall to open the Seoul Queer Parade, which promotes equality for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals.

Participant Andy Kim, 25, said he was attending to "help secure rights" of sexual minorities and "raise awareness" of the LGBTQ community.