Hamgyong-bukdo is governed by federal North Korea law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ⚢
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ⚭
    ✖ Unrecognized
    Censorship
    ✖ State-enforced
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Illegal
    Gender-Affirming Care
    Unknown
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    Unknown
    Adoption
    ✖ Illegal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    Unknown
    Military
    Ambiguous
    Donating Blood
    Unknown
    Conversion Therapy
    Unknown
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion

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History

Homosexual activity in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

Homosexual activity in Hamgyong-bukdo is legal.

Current status
Since Sep 14, 1948
Legal
There are no specific laws in North Korea that criminalize homosexuality. There are, however, claims that it is de facto illegal, but this has no official backing. (Date shown is the date of North Korean statehood.)

While punishment is rare, it was reported by Free North Korea Radio that in September 2011 North Korea executed a lesbian couple for being influenced by capitalism and bringing corruption of public morals. However, this report has never been confirmed to be true.

Finally, even though de jure homosexuality is not prohibited, de facto there were some cases of punishment for LGBT people
Details
Sources:
outrightinternational.org/o…
youngpioneertours.com/lgbt-…
koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/n…
cnn.com/2017/04/24/asia/nor…
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Same-sex marriage in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

Same-sex marriage in Hamgyong-bukdo is unrecognized.

Current status
Unrecognized
Depiction in media of affection in North Korea tend to be very rare, and no law against gay marriage exists in the constitution.
Details
Sources:
refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/…
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Censorship of LGBT issues in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Hamgyong-bukdo is state-enforced.

Current status
Since Sep 14, 1948
State-enforced
Censorship topics are all controlled by the government
Details
Sources:
database.ilga.org/north-kor…
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Right to change legal gender in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

Right to change legal gender in Hamgyong-bukdo is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
Legal gender recognition is not possible in North Korea.
Details
Sources:
outrightinternational.org/o…
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Gender-affirming care in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

Gender-affirming care in Hamgyong-bukdo is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Hamgyong-bukdo is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
No legal recognition of non-binary gender
Details
Sources:
nationalgeographic.com/maga…
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LGBT discrimination in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

LGBT discrimination in Hamgyong-bukdo is no protections.

Current status
Since Sep 14, 1948
No protections
Because sexual orientation as a concept does not appear in North Korea law, there is no legal prohibition of discrimination by state and nonstate actors based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics.
Details
Sources:
state.gov/reports/2022-coun…
ilga.org/downloads/ILGA_Wor… (page 328)
koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/n…
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LGBT employment discrimination in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Hamgyong-bukdo is no protections.

Current status
No protections
Because sexual orientation as a concept does not appear in North Korea law, there is no legal prohibition of discrimination by state and non-state actors based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics.
Details
Sources:
state.gov/reports/2022-coun…
ilga.org/wp-content/uploads…
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LGBT housing discrimination in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Hamgyong-bukdo is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Same-sex adoption in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

Same-sex adoption in Hamgyong-bukdo is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
According to the US Department of State report, same-sex adoption is illegal in North Korea.
Details
Sources:
state.gov/reports/2020-coun…
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Intersex infant surgery in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

Intersex infant surgery in Hamgyong-bukdo is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

Serving openly in military in Hamgyong-bukdo is ambiguous.

Current status
Since Sep 14, 1948
Ambiguous
Some secondary sources claim it is a "Don't Ask Don't Tell" situation. But, based on a North Korean propaganda film from the year 2000, male homosexuality may be against the law in the military, including for prisoners of war. Information is extremely limited, because North Korea heavily censors LGBT content.

However there are sources that claim that during the compulsory 10 year military service homosexual acts between men are very common.
Details
Sources:
Myers, B. R. The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves and Why It Matters. Melville House, 2011.
Ultimately sourced from North Korean propaganda film, "Snowstorm in Pyongyang" (2000).
Hassig and Oh (2009) The Hidden People of North Korea
Martin (2006) Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader, p. 521
nknews.org/2015/01/are-ther…
nknews.org/2013/11/being-ga…
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Blood donations by MSMs in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Hamgyong-bukdo is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Conversion therapy in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

Conversion therapy in Hamgyong-bukdo is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Equal age of consent in Hamgyong-bukdo

?

Equal age of consent in Hamgyong-bukdo is equal.

Current status
Since 2009
Equal
Under the Article 295 of the North Korean Criminal Law, the age of consent is 15 irrespectively of gender of parties.
Details
Sources:
hrnk.org/uploads/pdfs/The%2…
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Equality Index ?
38 / 100
Legal Rights
38 / 100
This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Hamgyong-bukdo to help improve its accuracy.

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Alternative names: Hamgyongbukto, North Hamgyong

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