South Korea has pledged to revise a government-affiliated youth counselling manual that classified homosexuality as a form of juvenile delinquency, placing it alongside sexual violence, theft and drug-related problems.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced the decision on Wednesday, apologising after the classification prompted criticism from human rights organisations and LGBT+ advocates.

“We regret that the classification of content concerning sexual minorities as a type of delinquency-related problem in the manual has caused discomfort and concern to sexual minority youth and those involved,” the ministry said in a statement.

The manual was published by the Korea Youth Counselling and Welfare Institute, an organisation affiliated with the ministry, and distributed to specialists known as “youth companions”.…