‘A couple like any other’: Parents appeal to Korean court in lesbian couple’s fight for marriage equality

‘A couple like any other’: Parents appeal to Korean court in lesbian couple’s fight for marriage equality

Snippet from the article (There is more if you go to the actual story. I didnt want to paste it all here):

On April 27, the court held a hearing to hear testimony from witnesses and arguments on the petition filed by Yeo-jin and Hee-yeon to overturn the city’s rejection of their marriage registration and a marriage equality suit recommending a review of the constitutionality of existing laws.

This marks the first time that a court has set such a date — without rejecting or dismissing the suit out of hand — in the 11 years since a similar suit was filed by film director Kim-Jho Gwang-soo and his husband Kim Seung-hwan.

The Hankyoreh met with the couple immediately after the hearing.

“I was surprised and thankful that we were unexpectedly given this hearing. The fact that we were able to share our experience was encouraging and meaningful,” said Hee-yeon.

Considering that nine other same-sex couples who had filed similar suits at the same time as Yeo-jin and Hee-yeon had seen their cases be dismissed or rejected one after the other, the two hadn’t gotten their hopes up. But when the court said that it would hear arguments from Hee-yeon and Yeo-jin, all those couples rallied around the two women and celebrated as if it had happened to them.

The court asked questions about the difficulties that the couple faces for not having their marriage legally recognized, and what separates a common law marriage from a same-sex marriage.

The court also pointed to recent shifts in society, including the 2024 Supreme Court decision affirming that those in same-sex relationships could register their partners as a dependent for state health insurance, the abolition of the patriarchal “hoju” head of family system, and the fact that transgender persons can apply for legal gender recognition.

The two felt a spark of hope.

“I’m happy that we were able to take a step forward,” Hee-yeon said.

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