Last February 21, the Seoul High Court ruled in favor of a same-sex couple. It found a government health insurer owed coverage to the spouse of a customer after the insurance firm withdrew when they found out that the pair were gay.
Although same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in South Korea, the couple decided to hold a wedding ceremony last 2019.
Activists say that the Seoul High Court’s ruling is a step towards recognizing LGBTQ+ rights in the country. The court’s decision will still be challenged in the Supreme Court.
So Seong-wook, the plaintiff, called the ruling a “recognition of a very obvious right that has not been given.” He also told BBC, “I think it has a great meaning for LGBTQ people who have been in a discriminatory situation, those who support them and all those who are discriminated against.”
According to a Human Rights Watch report conducted in South Korea last year, discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community in the country is still prevalent.
Following the landmark ruling by the court, Amnesty International released a statement that read, “There is still a long way to go to end discrimination against the LGBTI community, but this ruling offers hope that prejudice can be overcome.”