South Korean court rejects gay couple’s bid for equal healthcare benefits

One of South Korea’s top courts dismissed a landmark lawsuit that sought to bolster LGBT+ rights by enshrining equal access to healthcare benefits.

The Seoul Administrative Court on Friday (7 January) shrugged off the suit brought forward by So Seong-wook, 30, against the country’s National Health Insurance Service (NHIS).

Filed last year, the service withdrew Seong-wook’s ability to receive spousal benefits under the employer of his partner, Kim Yong-min.

Yong-min had initially been able to register his partner in early 2020 as an independent, which activists say might have been the first example of this in the country.

But months later, the National Health Insurance Service yanked the coverage away following media coverage, United Press International reported.