"Love is not a choice. You fall for the person, not their chromosomes." - Mimi Lemay
Two days ago, a South Korea high court ruled in favor of a gay couple receiving equal health benefits, and the world rejoiced.
Plaintiff, So Seong-wook, had previously been registered as a spousal dependent for state health insurance coverage, under the government-affiliated National Health Insurance Service (NHIS).
But the NHIS revoked his rights as a dependent and imposed premium payments, after realizing he was in a same-sex relationship.
The two sued the NHIS in 2021 citing discrimination, but lost in a lower court. They then appealed the decision, with South Korea's High Court ruling in their favor on Tuesday (21 Mar 2023).
"After the first trial, despite the loss, I said that our love won, is winning and will win. And today demonstrates more clearly that our love has won and is winning.
"I'm really happy that through this ruling, the world will be more aware of the inequality that my husband and I, as well as other sexual minorities in South Korea, have gone through", said Seong-Wook.
Although South Korea does not legally recognize same-sex marriage, and the country has a long way to go, we celebrate this narrow yet noteworthy win.
