Seoul's Seodaemun District Office Accepts Kim Jo Kwang Soo's Same-Sex Marriage Registration Submission

Director Kim Jo Kwang Soo, who held his trailblazing public wedding ceremony with same-sex partner Kim Seung Hwan on September 7, submitted his marriage registration form today to Seoul’s Seodaemun District Office and with the world watching, it was accepted.

The Seodaemun District Office stated, “After looking over relevant laws, no provisions regarding same-sex marriage were found. Therefore, there are no grounds to deny the submission. We will accept the marriage registration application. As for the family registry, it is something that is processed under the delegation of the court so after the receipt of the marriage registration form, we will leave it up to the court to interpret.”

South Korea so far has not recognized same-sex marriage or any other form of legal union for same-sex couples. While the acceptance of the marriage registration form is a historic event, it does not mean that the South Korean state has officially recognized the same-sex marriage. The power to officially register the marriage is in the hands of the district office, but the Seodaemun District is planning to leave it up to the courts to give an authoritative interpretation of whether same-sex marriage will be legal in South Korea.

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