Seoul National University student comes out as lesbian during student body election speech

SEE ALSO: K-beauty (Korean cosmetics) surpasses the United States in global cosmetics exports

Kim, who is currently a consumer and child studies major, would be the school's first openly gay student body president if elected. According to The Korea Times, Kim stated during her speech, "I want this to be a world in which no one has to fit under a label of what is 'normal.' I want this to be a world in which people can love themselves for who they are and in which they can live confidently. That's why I am telling you. I'm a lesbian."

Once her full speech was shared on Seoul National University Journal's webpage, the site was said have shut down due to heavy traffic. 

Kim is serving as the vice president of the student body at the moment, and in school, she has actively led efforts against sexual harassment and abuse by professors. She is also a board member for the student council committee on student civil rights. 

In accordance with her vision, the motto of Kim's campaign is "Moving As One Toward Unity." Kim added, "The fact that I'm a lesbian is just another piece of who I am," she said. "The things I believe in, the things I've done as vice president, and the things I want to accomplish in the future � those things will not change. The image and the direction I envision for this school is of a space in which we can exist as ourselves, and as a society in which that in itself is accepted as beautiful," Kim said. "That's the reason I'm coming out today."

It seems the Korean society is working its way--albeit a bit slowly--towards Kim's vision! Despite the lack of gay representation in popular media, gay activism has seen an increase in recent years and the Korean people are generally more accepting of the LGBTQ culture, particularly the younger generation.