The recent Supreme Court decision recognized health insurance dependency status for same-sex couples. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jul. 24 (Korea Bizwire) – For Samsik (a pseudonym), a 34-year-old man who has been in a same-sex relationship for 11 years, the recent Supreme Court decision recognizing health insurance dependency status for same-sex couples brought tears of joy and a sense of long-awaited acknowledgment.
“Even after loving someone for so long, it was always uncomfortable to know that we were considered nothing in the eyes of Korean law,” Samsik said. “Watching the live broadcast of the Supreme Court ruling, I felt a glimmer of recognition, and tears suddenly welled up.”
The ruling, handed down on July 18, has ignited a surge of hope among South Korea’s LGBTQ+ community. While it doesn’t legalize same-sex marriage, many view it as a significant crack in the wall of discrimination and a potential stepping stone towards marriage equality.
Emboldened by the decision, Samsik plans to submit a marriage registration form to his local district office next month. He and his partner held a wedding ceremony in Hawaii last April and registered their marriage there, but until now, they hadn’t dared to attempt registration in South Korea.
While South Korea doesn’t legalize same-sex marriage, many view the ruling as a significant crack in the wall of discrimination and a potential stepping stone towards marriage equality. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Since March 2022, administrative procedures have allowed marriage registrations regardless of gender. However, courts have consistently rejected these applications, citing the current law’s inability to recognize same-sex marriages.
According to the National Court Administration, 33 such applications have been submitted and rejected nationwide between March 2022 and last month.
Samsik is aware his application will likely be rejected but sees value in the act itself. “I want to add to the numbers to show how many LGBTQ+ people desire the right to marry openly,” he explained. “I hope this becomes a basis for legislating same-sex marriage.”
Kim Kyu-jin, 33, part of a well-known lesbian couple, shares a similar perspective. In 2019, she and her partner held a commitment ceremony in New York. Last year, they became the first lesbian couple in South Korea to have a child through sperm donation and in vitro fertilization.
“This ruling gives me hope that someday both of us will be recognized as our daughter Rani’s legal mothers,” Kim said. She plans to gather other same-sex couples to submit marriage registrations together, stating, “If no one breaks through the wall, our existence won’t even be recorded.”
Film director Kim-Jho Gwang-soo, 59, who chairs an LGBTQ+ rights center, is currently awaiting a Supreme Court decision on his lawsuit against the Seodaemun District Office for rejecting his marriage registration in 2014.
“Although change in our society seemed slow, this Supreme Court ruling feels like a step forward,” Kim said. “If LGBTQ+ individuals continue to push to widen this gap, I believe the path to legalizing same-sex marriage will accelerate.”
Samsik, too, believes that one day he’ll receive a marriage certificate like any other couple. “Repeated rejections have led many LGBTQ+ people to give up, thinking nothing will ever change,” he reflected. “But this ruling has cracked that mindset. It makes us think that having our existence recognized in our lifetime might not be impossible after all.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
