S. Korea’s same-sex couples eligible for health insurance

“Love has won again,” said So Seong-wook, a plaintiff.

South Korea’s Supreme Court has ruled in favour of same-sex couples seeking spousal coverage for national health inusrance benefits, a huge win towards recognising the the LGBTQIA+ community in the country, reported Bloomberg.

On Thursday, the court declared same-sex couples eligible dependents for public health insurance, a first in the nation's history concerning marriage equality. 

However, the ruling is limited to the healthcare system and does not equate to full legal recognition of same-sex marriages.

The court stated that withdrawing spousal insurance coverage constituted discrimination based on sexual orientation. 

Amnesty International's East Asia researcher, Boram Jang, hailed the decision as a historic victory for equality and human rights in South Korea. 

However, Jang also noted the protracted judicial processes that same-sex couples must endure to secure basic rights.

The plaintiffs, Kim Yong-min and So Seong-wook, filed the lawsuit in 2021 after the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) revoked their spousal benefits following media coverage of their same-sex union. 

They argued that they were being discriminated against, despite NHIS regulations that permit spousal status for common-law partners, even though South Korea only legally recognizes marriages between heterosexual couples.

Support for same-sex marriage in South Korea is relatively low compared to other Asian countries. 

A Pew Research survey from November showed that 41% of South Koreans supported same-sex unions, placing the country ninth out of 12 surveyed. 

Japan had the highest support at 68%, whilst Indonesia ranked lowest at 5%.

So Seong-wook expressed his joy at the ruling, stating, "Love has won again," at a news conference.