Family Law in South Korea

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

South Korean family law is codified in Part IV (Family) and Part V (Succession) of the Civil Code (민법), governing marriage, divorce, parent-child relationships, adoption, and inheritance. The law has undergone substantial reform since the 1980s, moving from a patriarchal family system rooted in Confucian tradition toward gender equality. The Constitutional Court has played a decisive role in striking down discriminatory provisions, including the head-of-family system (hojuje) in 2005 and the ban on same-sex marriage (2024).

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Family Law in South Korea

Introduction