South Korea's 2025 Population and Housing Census, conducted from Oct. 22 to Nov. 18, 2025, allowed same-sex partners who live together to list each other as "spouse" or "cohabiting partner" for the first time. In earlier censuses, those answers were automatically flagged as errors, so same-sex couples had to register as unrelated housemates (Korea Herald; Human Rights Watch).

Why it matters

The census, run by the Ministry of Data and Statistics (formerly Statistics Korea), surveys about 20% of households and shapes government policy. Rainbow Action, a coalition of LGBTQ groups, called the change "the first step toward ensuring LGBTQ+ citizens are properly represented in national statistics."

The ministry downplayed the shift, saying it was not collecting data on LGBTQ people but improving the census's accuracy by removing input restrictions. Human Rights Watch warned that the lack of public outreach about the change could lead to undercounting.

Can same-sex couples marry in South Korea?

No. South Korea does not recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions. Advocates have made gradual gains: in 2024, the country's Supreme Court upheld the right of a man to be covered as a dependent under his same-sex partner's national health insurance, a ruling advocates hailed as a possible step toward broader recognition. Conservative and religious groups remain influential opponents of marriage equality.

What happens next

Census results are typically published the year after the survey. As of the latest reporting we found, the ministry had not released a count of same-sex couples.

Sources