A South Korea Court Recognizes Homogenous Couple Rights for the First Time

A high court in Seoul ruled against a health insurer which demanded payments from the spouse of a customer when it found out the couple was gay. Under South Korean law, dependents can be covered under their partner’s plan. But the insurer said this only applied to marriage between a man and a woman and that both partners had to pay their contributions. However, the high court revoked the demands, saying the homogenous couple were ‘loving partners’ who ‘had declared their partnership before their families and friends’. The homogenous couple, So Sung-uk and Kim Yong-min, held a wedding ceremony in 2019 but could not register their marriage because such marriages are not legally recognized in South Korea. LGBTQ+ campaigners are hailing it as a significant milestone.