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LGBT Rights in South Korea

    Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Not legal
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, surgery not required
    Non-binary gender recognition
    Unknown
    Discrimination
    ✖ Illegal in some contexts
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Adoption
    ✖ Illegal
    Military
    Ambiguous
    Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (1-year deferral)
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
Suggest Public Opinion Data

Public Opinion

Views on same-sex marriage or other legal recognition

Ranked #24 out of 27 regions surveyed. (Source: Ipsos, April–May, 2021)
(26%) Against
Support (54%)

Views on same-sex couples' right to adopt

Ranked #22 out of 27 regions surveyed. (Source: Ipsos, April–May, 2021)
(45%) Disagree
Agree (46%)

Acceptance of homosexuals as neighbors ?

Ranked #72 out of 79 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(79.6%) Mentioned homosexuals
Did not mention homosexuals (20.4%)

Justifiability of homosexuality ?

Ranked #49 out of 79 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(61.4%) Not justifiable
Justifiable (7.5%)

Opinion on same-sex couples as parents ?

Ranked #39 out of 74 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(40%) Disagree
Agree (22.7%)

"Should society accept homosexuality?" (2019) ?

Ranked #24 out of 34 regions surveyed. (Source: Pew Research Center, May–October, 2019)
(53%) No
Yes (44%)

"Should society accept homosexuality?" (2013) ?

Ranked #21 out of 39 regions surveyed. (Source: Pew Research Center, June, 2013)
(59%) No
Yes (39%)

Perceived Acceptance of Gay People ?

Ranked #69 out of 119 regions surveyed. (Source: Gallup, 2013)
(57%) Not a good place
Good place (18%)

By The Numbers

45%
Of South Korean citizens agreed transgender people should be allowed to serve in the military
36%
Disagreed
15.85%
of Koreans would feel comfortable with a family member that is a homosexual person
39.27%
of Koreans would feel comfortable making friends with a homosexual person
45.12%
of Koreans would be comfortable working with a homosexual person
10.15%
of Koreans know a Korean LGBT person
74.15%
do not
15.7%
unsure
59.1%
Of people in South Korea agreed that transgender people should be able to have surgery to match their gender identity
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

?

Homosexual activity in South Korea is legal.

Current status
Legal
Homosexuality in Korea never had been illegal in whole history.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until 2003
Ambiguous
Personal activity is not outlawed, but no permission to incorporate in LGBTQ+ groups.
Added by ralphrii  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in South Korea

?

Same-sex marriage in South Korea is not legal.

Current status
Since Aug 15, 1948
Not legal
There has been proposals to legalize gay marriage, but none have passed as of May 2022.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in South Korea

?

Censorship of LGBT Issues in South Korea is no censorship.

Current status
Since 2003
No censorship
There is no censorship of LGBTQ+ issues, topics, or events.
Added by Ro_Guy  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
State-enforced
The Government of South Korea practiced censorship of gay content websites from 2001 to 2003, through its Information and Communications Ethics Committee, an official organ of the Ministry of Information and Communication.
Added by Ro_Guy  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in South Korea

?

Right to change legal gender in South Korea is legal, surgery not required.

Current status
Since Mar 22, 2013
Legal, surgery not required
Transgender persons are permitted to change their gender without having had sexual reassignment surgeries.
Added by vviet93  ·  0 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.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in South Korea

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in South Korea is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

LGBT discrimination in South Korea

?

LGBT discrimination in South Korea is illegal in some contexts.

Current status
Since Aug 15, 1948
Illegal in some contexts
There are some LGBT anti-discrimination protections in South Korea.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in South Korea

?

LGBT employment discrimination in South Korea is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2016
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Full discrimination protection including aggravated conditions since 2016.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in South Korea

?

LGBT housing discrimination in South Korea is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Sexual orientation and gender identity
All people of sexual orientation/gender identity are protected.
Sources:
equaldex.com
Added by Ausyk  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in South Korea

?

Same-sex adoption in South Korea is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
No information about when adoption regulations went into effect.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Aug 15, 1948–Sep 4, 2018
Married couples only
Legalization pending.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in South Korea

?

Serving openly in military in South Korea is ambiguous.

Current status
Ambiguous
Serving openly is possible, but legal difficulties and prosecution applies.
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 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.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in South Korea

?

Blood donations by MSMs in South Korea is banned (1-year deferral).

Current status
Banned (1-year deferral)
A deferral is applied after same-sex intercourse.
Sources:
equaldex.com
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in South Korea

?

Conversion therapy in South Korea is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Not criminalized anywhere in South Korea.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in South Korea

?

Equal age of consent in South Korea is equal.

Current status
Equal
Age of consent is equal in South Korea.
Sources:
equaldex.com
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log


LGBT Rights by province

View the LGBT laws in each individual province of South Korea.