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.