---
title: Methodist Pastors Maintain Support for Sexual Minorities After Church Trials
url: https://www.faithfulnews.com/en/methodist-pastors-maintain-support-for-sexual-minorities-after-church-trials
published: 2026-10-10T18:49:23+00:00
language: en
section: World Church
source: https://www.newsnjoy.or.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=400801
organizations: Korean Methodist Church
publisher: FaithfulNews
---

# Methodist Pastors Maintain Support for Sexual Minorities After Church Trials

Four pastors from the Korean Methodist Church have concluded their church trials and disciplinary actions after participating in a blessing ceremony at the 2024 Seoul Queer Culture Festival.

Pastors Kim Hyung-kook, Nam Jae-young, Yoon Yeo-gun, and Cha Heung-do faced various penalties. Nam Jae-young was sentenced to expulsion by the Southern Annual Conference in December 2024, though a civil court later invalidated this decision. Yoon Yeo-gun received an expulsion order from the Central Annual Conference in January 2025, which was later changed to a 10 month suspension by the General Conference Trial Committee in May 2025. Kim Hyung-kook was sentenced to expulsion by the Chungbuk Annual Conference in February 2025, but this was eventually reduced to a 12 month suspension on August 25, 2025. Cha Heung-do was ultimately removed from the ministry after two expulsion rulings from the Chungbuk Annual Conference. Nam Jae-young and Cha Heung-do have since retired.

The pastors criticized the trial processes, alleging that basic legal principles were ignored. Nam Jae-young stated that the Southern Annual Conference failed to exclude individuals from the review committee who belonged to the same district as the accusers. Kim Hyung-kook reported that his request to adjust the review committee schedule was rejected and that he was notified of his expulsion via document without a designated sentencing date. Yoon Yeo-gun claimed that the presumption of innocence and the right to rebuttal were not respected, adding that the committee members lacked the competence to write indictments.

Despite the trials, the pastors expressed their intention to continue blessing sexual minorities. Nam Jae-young noted that his church, Bindul Community Church, unanimously decided in 2018 to become a rainbow church that welcomes sexual minorities. Yoon Yeo-gun stated that he would continue to participate in queer festivals even if found guilty. Kim Hyung-kook emphasized that ministers should pray for blessings rather than curses.

Pressure continues for some of the clergy. On September 7, Nam Jae-young received a letter from other pastors and elders urging him to repent for his role as an organizer in the 3rd Daejeon Queer Culture Festival on April 25. The letter claimed his actions violated church law regarding the support of homosexuality and threatened a complaint to the Southern Annual Conference review committee if he did not promise to stop participating in such events.