South Korea has recognised the legal status of same-sex couples for the first time, by allowing them to have the same health insurance rights as heterosexual couples. The move is the first time that South Korea has recognised same-sex partners’ legal rights – although the country still doesn’t recognise same-sex marriage. "A court in South Korea has ruled that same-sex couples are entitled to the same spousal coverage under the national health insurance service as heterosexual couples – the first time the country has recognised the legal status of a gay partner." “This is an important decision that moves South Korea closer to achieving marriage equality,” Amnesty International’s east Asia researcher Boram Jang said. “By not recognising partners in same-sex relationships, the national health insurance service was discriminating against same-sex couples, denying basic rights afforded to couples of the opposite sex.

Source: The Guardian February 21, 2023 23:55 UTC