The Constitutional Court of Korea has raised concerns about the implications of a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming health insurance rights for same-sex couples, suggesting it might contradict foundational principles of individual rights in marriage.
On November 11, the National Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee passed a bill introducing legal recourse for citizens to petition the Constitutional Court when basic rights are believed to be violated by judicial decisions. During this meeting, the head of the Constitutional Court's office, Son In-hyuk, highlighted a Supreme Court ruling that recognized health insurance benefits for same-sex couples as an example of a case that could warrant such a petition. While the rationale behind this new legal recourse is to safeguard citizens' fundamental rights, the suggestion that the Constitutional Court could potentially retrench rights affirmed by the Supreme Court has stirred controversy and raised questions about its appropriateness.
