Sexual minorities and activists speak at a press conference in front of the National Human Rights Commission building in Seoul on Nov. 13, 2019. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — A group of Korean sexual minorities whose marriage cannot be recognized under current laws have called for the system to be improved.
A group of 1,056 sexual minorities filed a collective petition to the National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday urging the government to recognize the rights of family members of sexual minorities.
The Korean Network for Partnership and Marriage Rights of LGBT (Gagoonet), a civic group representing them, claimed in a news conference, “Even if we eat under one roof and live together for a few decades, we are excluded from all of the benefits accorded to families because we have no legal status.”
The group also voiced the opinion that the nation and society should create a basic safety net for sexual minorities.
In addition, Gagoonet released a survey showing the sexual minorities in Korea are being discriminated against in areas such as medical care, housing, workplace and pension.
According to a month-long online survey of 366 sexual minorities by Gagoonet, 81.8 percent of respondents who used hospitals for their partner’s surgery and hospitalization said they experienced discrimination.
As well, 51.6 percent of the respondents said they shared housing funds, but 76.2 percent of them said they were unable to share their home under a joint name.
“There are various loans and housing systems for newlyweds and young people in Korea, but same-sex couples are excluded,” said a sexual minority couple that married this year.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
