Fridae

South Korean military chiefs have now charged 32 soldiers for homosexual behaviour in its crack down on gay soldiers, according to human rights group.

Last month, An army captain in South Korea was dishonourably discharged and handed a suspended six-month prison sentence after a military court on Wednesday found him guilty of having sex with another man.

Although homosexual sex is legal in South Korea, same-sex activity in the army is punishable by up to two year’s imprisonment.

The captain was convicted of violating the Military Criminal Act which states that a soldier engaging in sodomy or "other disgraceful conduct" can be put in jail for up to two years. Gay sex is not illegal for civilians.

The court case came after General Jang Jun-kyu, South Korea’s army chief of staff, launched a “track-down process” to locate and expose suspected gay personnel.

“President Moon Jae-in needs to send an unequivocal message that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity will not be tolerated, including in the military,” said East Asia Research Director at Amnesty International, Roseann Rife.

“It is long overdue for South Korea to repeal this archaic and discriminatory provision in the military criminal code, and get up-to-date when it comes to the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex people.”

One such soldier, spoke to CNN and said the military had contacted him saying it knew about himself and his ex-partner’s “crimes.”

“They knew that I would not want my identity revealed so they made me cooperate in the investigation,” he said. “The atmosphere was very oppressive and humiliating. I was scared.”

Watch the CNN report below: