• Homosexuality
    ⚢
    ✔ Legal
  • Marriage
    ⚭
    ✖ Unrecognized
  • Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, but requires surgery
  • Adoption
    Married couples only
  • Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
  • Housing Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
  • Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
  • Military
    ✖ Illegal
  • Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
  • Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (1-year deferral)
  • Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned

Public Opinion

By The Numbers

15.85%
of Koreans would feel comfortable with a family member that is a homosexual person
(Macromill Embrain, The Diplomat, 2019)
39.27%
of Koreans would feel comfortable making friends with a homosexual person
(Macromill Embrain, The Diplomat, 2019)
45.12%
of Koreans would be comfortable working with a homosexual person
(Macromill Embrain, The Diplomat, 2019)
10.15%
of Koreans know a Korean LGBT person
74.15%
do not
15.7%
unsure
(Macromill Embrain, The Diplomat, 2019)
58%
of Koreans oppose same-sex marriage
34%
support same-sex marriage
8%
undecided
(Gallup Korea, 2017)
90%
of Koreans said they supported equal employment opportunities for LGBT people
(Gallup Korea, 2017)

History

Homosexual activity in South Korea

?
Current status
(since Apr 22, 2003)
Legal
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
iglhrc.org/content/south-ko…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  5 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Until -0001
Ambiguous
personal actuvity is not illegal (no law). but no permission to incorporate LGBTI group
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
gaystarnews.com/article/sou…
Added by ralphrii  ·  2 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in South Korea

?
Aug 15, 1948–Sep 10, 2018
Unrecognized
Life partnership pending. Gay marriage and Unions pending.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
askakorean.blogspot.ca/2015…


therichest.com/rich-list/mo…
Added by Ausyk  ·  4 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Current status
(since Aug 15, 1948)
Unrecognized
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
southkorea.angloinfo.com/fa…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  3 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in South Korea

?
Current status
(since Mar 22, 2013)
Legal, but requires surgery
Transgender persons are permitted to change their gender without having had sexual reassignment surgeries.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
transgriot.blogspot.ca/2013…
Added by vviet93  ·  2 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Mar 22, 2013–Sep 1, 2018
Legal, surgery not required
Since Jan 1, 2017. Missing non binary options on documents.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
nationalgeographic.com/maga…
Added by Ausyk  ·  2 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Jun 22, 2006–Mar 22, 2013
Legal, but requires surgery
Transgender South Koreans are permitted to change their gender on all legal documents following gender reassignment surgery.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
news.naver.com/main/read.nh…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in South Korea

?
Current status
(since Aug 15, 1948)
Married couples only
No information about when adoption regualtions went into effect. Date shown is when the Republic of Korea (South Korea) was founded.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
adoption.state.gov/country_…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Aug 15, 1948–Sep 4, 2018
Married couples only
Legalization pending.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
new-beginnings.org/adoption…
Added by Ausyk  ·  2 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in South Korea

?
Aug 15, 1948–Sep 4, 2018
Illegal
Full discrimination protections came into effect in 2016.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
No
Added by Ausyk  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Current status
(since Aug 15, 1948)
No protections
Date shown is the founding of the Republic of Korea (South Korea). There are no LGBT anti-discrimination protections in South Korea.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
hrw.org/news/2007/11/05/sou…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  3 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in South Korea

?
Current status
(since Aug 15, 1948)
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Full discrimination protections.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
No
Added by Ausyk  ·  2 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in South Korea

?
Current status
(since Jan 1, 2016)
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Full discrimination protection including aggravated conditions since 2016.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
No
Added by Ausyk  ·  2 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Homosexuals serving openly in military in South Korea

?
Current status
(since Aug 15, 1945)
Illegal
Article 92 of the South Korean Military Code provides punishment for gay men in the South Korean Military including dishonorable discharge.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/n…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  2 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Aug 15, 1945–Sep 7, 2018
Illegal
Military officials used gay dating and social apps to prosecute same sex couples under article 92. They prosecuted several gay couples. Ruled illegal by military court in 2010. legalization pending.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
freedomhouse.org/report/fre…
Added by Ausyk  ·  3 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in South Korea

?
Current status
Equal
No
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
No
Added by Ausyk  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in South Korea

?
Current status
Banned (1-year deferral)
No
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
No
Added by Ausyk  ·  3 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in South Korea

?
Current status
Not banned
Not criminalized Anywhere in the Koreas.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
No
Added by Ausyk  ·  2 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Search Interest

LGBT South Korea

Equality Index BETA ?

Top Contributors

Discussions

LGBT Organizations

There are no organizations listed in South Korea. Suggest one

Share Topic

Map of South Korea
LGBT South Korea
LGBT South Korea Flag

Compare South Korea

China Flag

Compare with
China

Hong Kong Flag

Compare with
Hong Kong

Japan Flag

Compare with
Japan

Macau Flag

Compare with
Macau

Mongolia Flag

Compare with
Mongolia

Common queries:
  • Is it illegal to be gay in South Korea?
  • Is homosexuality legal in South Korea?
  • Is gay marriage legal in South Korea?
Alternative names: Taehan Min’guk (Namhan) (local name)

LGBT Rights in Eastern Asia

China Flag

LGBT Rights in
China

Hong Kong Flag

LGBT Rights in
Hong Kong

Japan Flag

LGBT Rights in
Japan

Macau Flag

LGBT Rights in
Macau

Mongolia Flag

LGBT Rights in
Mongolia

North Korea Flag

LGBT Rights in
North Korea

Taiwan Flag

LGBT Rights in
Taiwan