Kangwon-do is governed by national North Korea law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✖ State-enforced
- Changing Gender
- Ambiguous
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Restricted
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Hate Crime Protections
- ✖ No protections
- Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Don't Ask, Don't Tell
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Bathroom Access
- ✔ No explicit protections
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
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Homosexual activity in Kangwon-do is legal.
Current status
Legal
There are no specific laws in North Korea that explicitly criminalize homosexuality. However, homosexuality is widely considered to be de facto illegal due to the country's repressive legal system, severe restrictions on personal freedoms, and the absence of legal protections for LGBT people.
There have also been reports of persecution. For example, in September 2011, Free North Korea Radio reported that a lesbian couple had allegedly been executed for being influenced by capitalism and allegedly corrupting public morals. However, this report has not been independently verified.
There have also been reports of persecution. For example, in September 2011, Free North Korea Radio reported that a lesbian couple had allegedly been executed for being influenced by capitalism and allegedly corrupting public morals. However, this report has not been independently verified.
Same-sex marriage in Kangwon-do is banned.
Current status
Since Oct 24, 1990
Banned
Marriage in North Korea is defined as between a man and a woman. Article 8 of the Family Law of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea states “Marriage may be done only between one man and one woman.”
Censorship of LGBT issues in Kangwon-do is state-enforced.
Current status
Since Apr 28, 2009
State-enforced
There are no official laws explicitly censoring or restricting LGBTIQ+ topics, expression or advocacy in North Korea. However, the 2009 Criminal Code contains Article 193, which prohibits the import, keeping, and distribution of “decadent culture”, including “sexual video recordings” and Article 262 prohibits collective engaging in “obscene activities”, which are both believed to be used to criminalise LGBTIQ+ expression in practice. There were also claims in 2011 that a lesbian couple was executed for bringing “public corruption in morality” to the country. However, due to the closed nature of the country, the true extent of censorship is unknown.
Right to change legal gender in Kangwon-do is ambiguous.
Current status
Ambiguous
While it is possible to make changes to the "SEX" mark on official documents in the DPRK, as it's said in the 16th article of the Citizen Registration Law, if it is accompanied by medical documentation, and the law on plastical surgery affirms that there are exceptions for cases in which a citizens might request a sex-change surgery, there is neither a documented case or evidence that this measures have been used by trans people to undergo any form of transition.
Gender-affirming care in Kangwon-do is restricted.
Current status
Restricted
There is no evidence of access to gender-affirming care in North Korea.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Kangwon-do is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
No legal recognition of non-binary gender
Hate crime protections in Kangwon-do is no protections.
Current status
No protections
North Korea does not provide hate crime protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
LGBT discrimination in Kangwon-do is no protections.
Current status
No protections
In North Korea, neither sexual orientation nor gender identity is a protected class from discrimination.
LGBT employment discrimination in Kangwon-do is no protections.
Current status
No protections
In North Korea, neither sexual orientation nor gender identity is a protected class from employment discrimination.
LGBT housing discrimination in Kangwon-do is no protections.
Current status
No protections
In North Korea, neither sexual orientation nor gender identity is a protected class from housing discrimination.
Same-sex adoption in Kangwon-do is single only.
Current status
Single only
According to the US Department of State report, same-sex adoption is illegal in North Korea for couples but not singles.
Intersex infant surgery in Kangwon-do is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
According to the ILGA database, there is no ban on intersex infant surgery despite it being have no concrete public data or anything publicly related toward intersex infant surgery but it safe to say that there no restrictions on intersex infant surgery in North Korea.
Serving openly in military in Kangwon-do is don't ask, don't tell.
Current status
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Some secondary sources claim it is a "Don't Ask Don't Tell" situation or downright illegal. But, based on a North Korean propaganda film from the year 2000, male homosexuality may be against the law in the military, including for prisoners of war. Information is extremely limited because North Korea heavily censors LGBT content.
However, some sources claim that during the compulsory 10-year military service, homosexual acts between men are very common.
However, some sources claim that during the compulsory 10-year military service, homosexual acts between men are very common.
Blood donations by MSMs in Kangwon-do is legal.
Current status
Legal
In North Korea, blood donation function more as a survival economy and a stated-mandated obligation than anything else, so there is no restrictions banning MSMS from donating blood.
Bathroom access in Kangwon-do is no explicit protections.
Current status
No explicit protections
North Korea offers no protections nor bans regarding transgender people accessing bathrooms based on their gender identity.
Conversion therapy in Kangwon-do is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
North Korea does not legally recognise sexual orientation or gender identity at all so therefore there is no law that bans conversion therapy. The state views being gay as western decadence.
Equal age of consent in Kangwon-do is equal.
Current status
Since 2009
Equal
Under the Article 295 of the North Korean Criminal Law, the age of consent is 15 irrespectively of gender of parties.
Legal Rights
19 / 100
This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Kangwon-do to help improve its accuracy.
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Alternative names: Gangweon, Kangweon, Kangwon