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South Korean court rejects film director’s same-sex marriage case | South Korean court rejects film director’s same-sex marriage case |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A lawsuit filed by a prominent film director and his partner seeking legal status for their same-sex marriage has been rejected by a South Korean district court in the first case of its kind. | |
Kim Jho Gwang-Soo and his long-time partner, Kim Seung-Hwan, held a wedding ceremony in Seoul in September 2013 and submitted their marriage registration form to their local authority, but it was rejected. | |
While homosexuality is legal in South Korea, same-sex marriage is not recognised and the country remains deeply conservative about matters of sexual identity. | While homosexuality is legal in South Korea, same-sex marriage is not recognised and the country remains deeply conservative about matters of sexual identity. |
The couple challenged the decision with a lawsuit filed in July last year, but the ruling on Wednesday sided with the local authority. | The couple challenged the decision with a lawsuit filed in July last year, but the ruling on Wednesday sided with the local authority. |
“Circumstances have changed concerning marriage ... but unless there is separate legislation, a same-sex union cannot be recognised as marriage under the existing legal system”, the Seoul western district court said in a statement. | |
“Related laws, including the constitution and civil law, are premised on the notion of a conjugal bond meaning a union involving different sexes,” it said. | “Related laws, including the constitution and civil law, are premised on the notion of a conjugal bond meaning a union involving different sexes,” it said. |
The two Kims are the most high-profile gay couple in South Korea and the lawsuit they filed over their marriage licence was the first of its kind. | The two Kims are the most high-profile gay couple in South Korea and the lawsuit they filed over their marriage licence was the first of its kind. |
“We regret the court decision ... but we did see it coming,” Kim Seung-Hwan told AFP, adding that the couple intended to appeal against the ruling. | “We regret the court decision ... but we did see it coming,” Kim Seung-Hwan told AFP, adding that the couple intended to appeal against the ruling. |
The couple’s lawyer, Ryu Min-Hee, said the lawsuit had argued that civil law should be viewed through a “gender-neutral” prism that upheld equal rights provisions in the constitution. | The couple’s lawyer, Ryu Min-Hee, said the lawsuit had argued that civil law should be viewed through a “gender-neutral” prism that upheld equal rights provisions in the constitution. |
“When in doubt, all laws should be interpreted in a constitutional way,” she said, adding: “We’re disappointed but we’re not done yet.” | “When in doubt, all laws should be interpreted in a constitutional way,” she said, adding: “We’re disappointed but we’re not done yet.” |
Ryu’s legal team had always acknowledged that the likelihood of a district court judge declaring same-sex marriage legal was extremely slim. | Ryu’s legal team had always acknowledged that the likelihood of a district court judge declaring same-sex marriage legal was extremely slim. |
Gay and transgender South Koreans live largely under the radar in a country where many still regard homosexuality as a foreign phenomenon. But gay rights campaigners were buoyed by the US supreme court ruling in June last year that made same-sex marriage legal throughout the US. | Gay and transgender South Koreans live largely under the radar in a country where many still regard homosexuality as a foreign phenomenon. But gay rights campaigners were buoyed by the US supreme court ruling in June last year that made same-sex marriage legal throughout the US. |
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