Kim Gyu-jin during her pregnancy with her daughter. (Screenshot from Kim Gyu-jin’s Instagram)
SEOUL, June 28 (Korea Bizwire) — A South Korean internet user who left offensive comments under a news article about the nation’s first pregnant same-sex couple has avoided criminal punishment after reaching a settlement with the victims.
According to legal sources, the Cheonan branch of the Daejeon District Court dismissed the criminal case against the commenter, identified as A, who had faced charges of insult for posting derogatory remarks online in June 2023.
A’s comments, posted from his residence, included phrases such as “makes me want to vomit” and derogatory slurs directed at the couple, Kim Gyu-jin and Kim Se-yeon. The two women made headlines after announcing their pregnancy via artificial insemination using donated sperm at a fertility clinic in Belgium. The couple had legally married in New York in 2019.
Initially, prosecutors sought a summary indictment, a simplified legal procedure involving only written documents. The court issued a fine under this process, but A requested a full trial instead.
During formal proceedings, A reached an agreement with the couple, which under Korean law—where insult is a non-prosecutable offense without the victim’s consent—enabled the court to dismiss the case. The victims submitted a formal letter stating they no longer wished to pursue charges or civil claims.
The ruling is now final, closing a case that highlighted the continuing challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in South Korea’s conservative legal and social environment.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
