Recognition of same-sex unions in South Korea

In 2019, the Government of South Korea announced it would recognize the same-sex spouses of foreign diplomats who come to live in South Korea. The recognition does not extend to same-sex spouses of South Korean diplomats living abroad nor to South Korean same-sex couples. As of 2021, the only beneficiaries of this scheme have been the New Zealand ambassador, Phillip Turner, and his husband Hiroshi Ikeda. Turner and Ikeda attended an official reception with President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook at the Blue House in October 2019 as "legal spouses". Kyudok Hong, a professor at Sookmyung Women's University, said that "[this] symbolically shows that the recognition of same-sex marriage is a global trend and that Korea cannot ignore it."[1][2]

In February 2020, a man in a same-sex relationship successfully registered his partner, So Seong-wook, as his spouse, allowing So to access his employer's health insurance plan. When the story became public a few months later, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) reversed course and revoked the dependent status. In February 2021, So filed a lawsuit against the NHIS. He claimed that the NHIS had unfairly discriminated against the couple as the agency provides spousal coverage to common-law partners, and only canceled his coverage under the insurance program of his partner's employer after learning of his same-sex marriage. In January 2022, an administrative court ruled against him citing the lack of legal recognition of same-sex unions in South Korea.[3] So said he would appeal, "We will appeal, and the world will change. I believe a world in which people can live equally is coming soon."[4] The appellate court ruled in favor of the couple on 21 February 2023, holding that government health insurance should offer spousal coverage to same-sex couples, the "first legal recognition of social benefits for same-sex couples" in South Korea.[5][6] The National Health Insurance Service has announced it will appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.[7][8]

In October 2014, a bill to legalize life partnerships was proposed by some members of the Democratic Party of Korea. Life partnerships (Korean: 생활동반자관계, pronounced [sɛŋ.βʷaɭ.toŋ.ban.dʑa.kwan.gje])[9] would have been open to both opposite-sex and same-sex couples, and offered some of the rights and benefits of marriage, such as tax benefits, protection from domestic violence, etc.[10] However, the bill was not brought to a vote in the National Assembly.

In February 2021, the government announced plans to recognise domestic partnerships for opposite-sex couples in light of the country's falling birthrate, which is attributed to the cost of raising children and education. The reform would not apply to same-sex couples; "There hasn't been any discussion nor even a consideration about same-sex couples", a government spokesperson said.[11] Human Rights Watch urged the government to recognise same-sex domestic partnerships.[12]

On 26 April 2023, a group of lawmakers introduced a life partnership bill which "will include a wider range of groups of people living together as a family, such as the elderly, friends and unmarried couples, and provide them with rights in the areas of inheritance, adoption and housing matters, as well as providing other legal protections." Representative Ryu Ho-jeong, a sponsor of the legislation, said she hoped the bill would address South Korea's declining birth rate, citing France where the birth rate increased following the introduction of the civil solidarity pact in 1999.[13]

An April 2013 Gallup poll revealed that 25% of South Koreans supported same-sex marriage, while 67% opposed it and 8% did not know or refused to answer.[30] A May 2013 Ipsos poll found that 26% of respondents were in favour of same-sex marriage and another 31% supported other forms of recognition for same-sex couples.[31]

The matchmaking website Duo asked 616 people between 25 July and 1 August 2015 for their views on same-sex marriage. Nearly 70% of female respondents viewed same-sex marriage as "acceptable", while 50% of men were against legalizing same-sex marriage. The majority of respondents who supported same-sex marriage said they did so because marriage was a personal choice (68%), 14% said sexual orientation was determined by nature and 12% said it would help end discrimination.[32][33]

A 2017 Gallup Korea poll found that 58% of South Koreans opposed legalising same-sex marriage, while 34% supported and 8% were undecided.[34] Another survey in December 2017 conducted by Gallup for MBC and the Speaker of the National Assembly reported that 41% of South Koreans thought same-sex marriage should be allowed, while 53% were against.[35]

Public support for same-sex marriage is growing rapidly according to the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. In 2010, 31% and 21% of South Koreans in their 20s and 30s, respectively, supported the legalization of same-sex marriages. In 2014, these numbers had almost doubled to 60% and 40%. Support among people over 60, however, remained unchanged (14% to 15%).[36] A 2022 Hankook Research poll showed that 34% of South Koreans supported same-sex marriage, while 52% were opposed and 14% were undecided. Support was highest among 18–29-year-olds and people who personally knew a gay person.[37]

A Pew Research Center poll conducted between February and May 2023 showed that 40% of South Koreans supported same-sex marriage, 59% were opposed and 1% did not know or refused to answer. When divided by age, support was highest among 18–39-year-olds at 58% and lowest among those aged 40 and above at 32%. When divided by political affiliation, support was highest among those on the left of the political spectrum at 57%, followed by those at the center at 44% and those on the right at 26%.[38]

• LGBT rights in South Korea
• Recognition of same-sex unions in Asia
• Same-sex union court cases