The military act is under review in the Constitutional Court after the filing of numerous petitions against it, and the center urged the court to quickly complete its review of what it called an 'outdated and bad' law. 'This Supreme Court ruling will serve as a milestone in the long debate over this law,' the Center for Military Human Rights Korea said in a statement. Human rights groups have for years called on South Korea to decriminalize same-sex relationships for men in the military, warning that laws fuel violence, discrimination and stigmatization against gay soldiers. The two defendants were indicted in 2017 for having same-sex intercourse in 2016, while off duty and outside their base, which is punishable with prison for up to two years under the Military Criminal Act. In the past, South Korean authorities have defended the military code against same-sex relationships as necessary to maintain discipline. The ministry of defence said it would thoroughly review 'the intent of the Supreme Court's ruling'. Homosexual activity is not illegal for South Korean civilians but same-sex relationships for men in the military have been subject to criminal punishment.
