A South Korean court on Tuesday recognized the legal rights of a same-sex couple for the first time, in a move celebrated by human rights advocates as a major victory for the country’s LGBTQ community.
The country’s high court sided with So Seong-uk, 32, who sued the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) in 2021 after the agency kicked his partner, Kim Yong-min, out of his plan.
Even though same-sex marriages or civil unions are not legal in South Korea, So and Kim held a ceremony in 2019 to celebrate their love and commitment to one another. They have since lived together as a married couple.
