Oh, South Korea, what have you done? In a stunning twist, the Supreme Court of South Korea decided to grant spousal benefits to LGBT relationships. Because, you know, traditional values are so last century.
The court’s ruling now allows same-sex couples to qualify for state health insurance. It reinforces a 2023 decision by the Seoul High Court, which declared that So Sung-wook and Kim Yong-min should benefit from South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service. The couple initially sued in 2021 after the NHIS cut off their benefits.
Kim Yong-min, overwhelmed by the decision, expressed disbelief and joy. It took them four years to earn this dependent status, and now they aim to push harder for the legalization of same-sex marriage. Great, because what we need is more lawsuits and court battles.
South Korea’s Chief Justice, Jo Hee-de, said excluding the couple from benefits was a form of prejudice. Sure, because if there’s one thing we need more of, it’s activist judges rewriting the rules. Hee-de pointed out that despite no existing laws recognizing LGBT relationships, denying them benefits was discriminatory.
The ruling came even though LGBT marriages are not legally recognized in South Korea. The court declared it an act of discrimination violating human dignity, the right to pursue happiness, freedom of privacy, and equality before the law—quite the mouthful for a court in a country that doesn’t even recognize same-sex marriages.
This landmark decision marks the first legal recognition of same-sex unions in South Korea. Now, any LGBT couple wanting to marry must still go abroad, but at least they can get health benefits. This decision is being hailed as a massive win for equality by LGBT supporters because who cares about traditional values, right?
Horim Yi, an LGBTQ activist from Marriage For All, called the court’s decision a “stepping stone for progress.” Yi believes it will offer hope for same-sex couples living in South Korea. That’s right, forget about the centuries-old traditions and norms. Let’s bulldoze over them in the name of progress.
Chang Suh-yeon, one of the lawyers for the LGBT couple, said the ruling would raise awareness and bring about cultural change for same-sex relationships in South Korea. According to Suh-yeon, this ruling will make the existence of same-sex couples more visible in the public system. That’s great because visibility is what we’re all about these days.
Ultimately, South Korea’s Supreme Court is trying to push its progressive agenda, one ruling at a time. Traditional values and societal norms? Who needs them when you can be “woke”?
For those keeping track, this is another step in the long march towards transforming societal norms to fit a new, progressive mold. Whether or not you agree with it, one thing is clear: the times are changing’.
And here we thought South Korea was all about maintaining its cultural heritage—silly us.
