South Korean same-sex couple So Seong-wook (L) and Kim Yong-min (R) react as they speak to reporters outside the Supreme Court building in Seoul on July 18, 2024 after the court's ruling on a lawsuit against the National Health Insurance Service for their dependent family status. South Korea's Supreme Court recognised new rights for same-sex couples on July 18, saying the state must provide health insurance for a gay man's partner in a landmark ruling that left activists weeping for joy. Jung Yeon-je , AFP

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dii"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://news-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com/api/upload-raw/20240718090752/7b2480b3eccb9fdf01b1bf0b80791680581db8a60aa20f4920816d45aa6aadd5.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii" alt="South Korean same-sex couple So Seong-wook (L) and Kim Yong-min (R) react as they speak to reporters outside the Supreme Court building in Seoul on July 18, 2024 after the court&#x27;s ruling on a lawsuit against the National Health Insurance Service for their dependent family status. South Korea&#x27;s Supreme Court recognised new rights for same-sex couples on July 18, saying the state must provide health insurance for a gay man&#x27;s partner in a landmark ruling that left activists weeping for joy. Jung Yeon-je , AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">South Korean same-sex couple So Seong-wook (L) and Kim Yong-min (R) react as they speak to reporters outside the Supreme Court building in Seoul on July 18, 2024 after the court&#x27;s ruling on a lawsuit against the National Health Insurance Service for their dependent family status. South Korea&#x27;s Supreme Court recognised new rights for same-sex couples on July 18, saying the state must provide health insurance for a gay man&#x27;s partner in a landmark ruling that left activists weeping for joy. Jung Yeon-je , AFP</span> </span></span></span></div><p>South Korea&#x27;s Supreme Court recognized new rights for same-sex couples Thursday, saying the state must provide health insurance for a gay man&#x27;s partner in a landmark ruling that left activists weeping for joy.</p><p>The country&#x27;s highest court ruled it was &quot;discrimination&quot; for state health insurers to treat same-sex couples differently from their heterosexual counterparts, in a verdict that activists said could pave the way for the eventual legalization of same-sex unions in the South.</p><p>&quot;National Health Insurance should recognize spousal insurance coverage for same-sex couples,&quot; the court ruled, with activists breaking into cheers as the verdict was read out.</p><p>The verdict, which cannot be appealed, means common-law spouses of the same sex can now register as dependents on their partners&#x27; state health insurance -- something long permitted for heterosexual common-law partners.</p><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3063073"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><p>The case was brought by a gay couple, So Seong-wook and Kim Yong-min, who live together and held a wedding ceremony in 2019.</p><p>It had no legal validity, however, as South Korea does not recognize same-sex marriage.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2024/6/21/telehealth-app-offers-plan-for-same-sex-couples-1043">Telehealth app offers plan for same-sex couples</a></div><p>In 2021, So sued the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) because it terminated benefits for his partner -- whom he had registered as a dependent -- after discovering they were a gay couple.</p><p>In a landmark ruling last year, a Seoul High Court found in favor of the couple, mandating that the NHIS reinstate the dependent benefits.</p><p>But the health service appealed the decision, escalating the case to the Supreme Court.</p><p>&quot;Today, love won again,&quot; said So after the verdict.</p><p>His husband Kim struggled to hold back tears outside the courtroom, telling reporters that he had &quot;always called (So) my husband, but he was never seen as my husband in Korea&quot;.</p><p>But today, &quot;the court called So my same-sex partner and I am so happy for that to be recognized in court&quot;.</p><p>The Supreme Court ruled that it was &quot;discrimination based on sexual orientation to exclude the couple just because they are same-sex&quot;.</p><p>The court ruled that the health service &quot;decision to not recognize same-sex partners who have formed an economic community of life similar to a married couple as dependents... is unlawful&quot;.</p><p>The couple&#x27;s lawyer Chang Suh-yeon said that the ruling &quot;gives hope&quot; to same-sex couples in South Korea, but said it did not go far enough.</p><p>&quot;Guaranteeing simple rights is not considered complete equality and we will keep on fighting for same-sex marriage to be institutionalized,&quot; Chang told AFP.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/15/house-lawmaker-renews-push-for-same-sex-civil-partnerships-940">House lawmaker renews push for same-sex civil partnerships</a></div><div><strong>&#x27;HISTORIC VICTORY&#x27; </strong></div><p>The Supreme Court ruling is a pivotal moment for the country&#x27;s LGBTQI community, and people holding rainbow umbrellas walked out of the court, wiping away tears of joy.</p><p>Ryu Min-hee, a lawyer and an LGBTQI activist, told AFP that &quot;the ruling goes beyond just specific rights and benefits.&quot;</p><p>&quot;It ultimately paves the way for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in South Korea, following the lead of other Asian countries like Taiwan and Thailand,&quot; Ryu told AFP.</p><p>While South Korea does not recognise same-sex marriages, gay relationships are not criminalised. LGBTQ people tend to live largely under the radar.</p><p>Activists have long emphasised the need for legislation against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.</p><p>A much-discussed anti-discrimination law has languished in the South Korean parliament for years, due to a lack of consensus among MPs.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/2/-property-regime-sought-for-same-sex-partners-1610">&#x27;Property regime&#x27; sought for same-sex partners </a></div><p>Outside the court ahead of the verdict, anti-LGBTQI Christian organisations staged a protest, holding up banners saying &quot;let us repent to the Lord&quot;.</p><p>When the couple initially attempted to hold a press conference after the verdict, Christian activists disrupted it by speaking in tongues and shouting: &quot;homosexuality is a sin!&quot;</p><p>Amnesty International said the ruling was &quot;a historic victory for equality and human rights in South Korea&quot;.</p><p>&quot;The Court has taken a significant step towards dismantling systemic discrimination and ensuring inclusivity for all,&quot; the rights group said in a statement.</p><p>&quot;While this decision is a major milestone, the case itself is a sobering reminder of the lengthy judicial processes that same-sex couples must endure to secure basic rights that should be universally guaranteed.</p><p>&quot;It is disheartening that in 2024, same-sex couples still face such significant barriers to equality.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>South Korea's Supreme Court recognized new rights for same-sex couples Thursday, saying the state must provide health insurance for a gay man's partner in a landmark ruling that left activists weeping for joy.</p>

South Korea's Supreme Court recognized new rights for same-sex couples Thursday, saying the state must provide health insurance for a gay man's partner in a landmark ruling that left activists weeping for joy.

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Top South Korea court hands gay couple 'historic' win on spouse rights

Agence France-Presse

Published Jul 18, 2024 03:25 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 18, 2024 06:10 PM PHT

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