South Korea grants some benefits to same-sex couples

The country’s Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling that homosexual couples should receive the same spousal coverage under the state health insurance program as heterosexual couples. The court said that the state agency’s refusal to provide the coverage was discriminatory and violated constitutional rights.

What is the background of the case? South Korea does not legally recognize same-sex marriage. So Seong-wook and Kim Yong-min in 2019 held a symbolic wedding ceremony. So in 2020 registered as a dependent under Kim’s insurance, according to Amnesty International, but the National Health Insurance Service later revoked the registration and asked So to repay spousal benefits. He filed a legal complaint in 2021, arguing that his relationship should be treated as a common-law marriage.

An administrative court in Seoul in 2022 ruled that same-sex couples are not eligible for the same health insurance benefits as heterosexual couples. A higher court last year ruled in favor of So, and the Supreme Court upheld the ruling.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report in The Sift about Thailand legalizing same-sex marriage.