South Korean Supreme Court Upholds LGBTQ Spousal Benefits

South Korea's Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a ruling that a same-sex partner was eligible for spousal benefits from state health insurance. This move is celebrated as a win for LGBTQ rights in a country that has lagged other jurisdictions in the region.

The decision upheld a landmark ruling by the Seoul High Court early last year, which stated that the National Health Insurance Service should provide equal spousal coverage to a gay couple who had filed a suit in 2021. They had challenged the agency’s decision to cancel their spousal benefits. Chief Justice Jo Hee-de declared that denying such benefits because of gender, despite no specific clauses in the national health insurance act, constitutes discrimination based on sexual orientation.

“It is an act of discrimination that violates human dignity and value, the right to pursue happiness, freedom of privacy, and the right to equality before the law, and the degree of violation is serious,” Jo declared in a televised trial.

(With inputs from agencies.)