LGBTQ rights in South Korea

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in South Korea face prejudice, discrimination, and other barriers to social inclusion not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents, though there has been social improvements since the late 2010s. Same-sex intercourse is legal for civilians in South Korea, but in the military, same-sex intercourse among soldiers is a crime, and all able-bodied men must complete about one year and a half of military service under the conscript system. South Korean national law does not recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions, nor does it protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Same-sex couples cannot jointly adopt, and a 2021 Human Rights Watch investigation found that LGBTQ students face "bullying and harassment, a lack of confidential mental health support, exclusion from school curricula, and gender identity discrimination" in South Korean schools.

On LGBTQ rights, South Korea is an outlier among other developed democracies, according to an NBC News analysis. On the 2019 Franklin & Marshall Global Barometer of Gay Rights, OECD nations averaged a grade of B. South Korea, however, was one of only three OECD countries to earn an F. Countries graded an F are characterized by the report as "persecuting" their LGBTQ communities. According to a 2025 data from the Pew Research Center, 56% of South Koreans view homosexuality as "morally unacceptable." This figure is significantly higher than in many other developed couhtries, such as Japan (21%) or Spain (7%).

Homosexuality remains quite taboo in South Korean society. Homosexuality is not specifically mentioned in either the South Korean Constitution or in the Civil Penal Code, although article 2 of the National Human Rights Commission Of Korea Act includes sexual orientation as one of the protected classes. Transgender or non-binary people are excluded from military service.

Transgender people are allowed to undergo gender affirming care in South Korea after the age of 20, and can change their gender identity on official documents. Harisu is South Korea's first transgender entertainer, and in 2002 became the second person in South Korea to legally change sex.

Gay and lesbian Koreans still face difficulties at home and work, and many prefer not to reveal their sexual orientation to family, friends or co-workers out of fear of discrimination and being ostracized.

A 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center found that a majority of South Koreans (56%) opposed the legalization of same-sex marriage. This opposition stood in contrast to regional countries, such as Japan and Vietnam, where support for same-sex marriage was significantly higher at 74% and 65%, respectively. Furthermore, a 2024 survey by Statista found that South Korea reported the lowest share of people identifying as LGBTQ among 43 countries surveyed, at only 3%. This figure was significantly lower than that of some Asian countries, including the Philippines (11%) and Thailand (10%).