- Homosexuality⚢✔ Legal
- Marriage⚭✖ Unrecognized
- Changing Gender✔ Legal, but requires surgery
- AdoptionMarried couples only
- Discrimination✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Military✖ Illegal
- Donating Blood✖ Banned (1-year deferral)
- Age of Consent✔ Equal
- 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)
90%
of Koreans said they supported equal employment opportunities for LGBT people
(Gallup Korea, 2017)
History
Current status
(since Apr 22, 2003)
(since Apr 22, 2003)
Legal
Until -0001
Ambiguous
personal actuvity is not illegal (no law). but no permission to incorporate LGBTI group
Current status
(since Aug 15, 1948)
(since Aug 15, 1948)
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Full discrimination protections.
Current status
(since Aug 15, 1945)
(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.
Current status
Not banned
Not criminalized Anywhere in the Koreas.