Pyongan-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
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Public Opinion

Pyongan-bukdo is lacking public opinion data.

Help expand our understanding of the public's view on LGBTQ+ issues in Pyongan-bukdo by sharing a link to a survey from a reputable organization.

Suggest Public Opinion Data

Have you lived in or visited Pyongan-bukdo?

Share your experience of being LGBTQ+ in Pyongan-bukdo.

Take Survey

History

Homosexual activity in Pyongan-bukdo

?

Homosexual activity in Pyongan-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…
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Pyongan-bukdo

?

Same-sex marriage in Pyongan-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/…
Report error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT issues in Pyongan-bukdo

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Pyongan-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…
Report error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Pyongan-bukdo

?

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

Current status
Illegal
Legal gender recognition is not possible in North Korea.
Details
Sources:
outrightinternational.org/o…
Report error  ·  Log

Gender-affirming care in Pyongan-bukdo

?

Gender-affirming care in Pyongan-bukdo is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Pyongan-bukdo

?

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

Current status
Not legally recognized
No legal recognition of non-binary gender
Details
Sources:
nationalgeographic.com/maga…
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Pyongan-bukdo

?

LGBT discrimination in Pyongan-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…
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Pyongan-bukdo

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Pyongan-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…
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Pyongan-bukdo

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Pyongan-bukdo is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Same-sex adoption in Pyongan-bukdo

?

Same-sex adoption in Pyongan-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…
Report error  ·  Log

Intersex infant surgery in Pyongan-bukdo

?

Intersex infant surgery in Pyongan-bukdo is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in Pyongan-bukdo

?

Serving openly in military in Pyongan-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…
Report error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Pyongan-bukdo

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Pyongan-bukdo is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Conversion therapy in Pyongan-bukdo

?

Conversion therapy in Pyongan-bukdo is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Equal age of consent in Pyongan-bukdo

?

Equal age of consent in Pyongan-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…
Report error  ·  Log
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 Pyongan-bukdo to help improve its accuracy.

Top Contributors

Pyongan-bukdo LGBT Organizations

There are no organizations listed in Pyongan-bukdo. Suggest one

Share Region

Compare Pyongan-bukdo

38
North Korea Flag

Compare with
Hwanghae-namdo, North Korea

38
North Korea Flag

Compare with
Pyongyang, North Korea

38
North Korea Flag

Compare with
Hamgyong-namdo, North Korea

38
North Korea Flag

Compare with
Nampo, North Korea

38
North Korea Flag

Compare with
Hwanghae-bukto, North Korea

38
North Korea Flag

Compare with
Nason, North Korea

38
North Korea Flag

Compare with
Kangwon-do, North Korea

38
North Korea Flag

Compare with
Kaesong, North Korea

Alternative names: North Phyongan, North Pyongan, Pyonganbukto

LGBT Rights in

38
Hwanghae-namdo Flag

LGBT Rights in
Hwanghae-namdo

38
Pyongyang Flag

LGBT Rights in
Pyongyang

38
Hamgyong-namdo Flag

LGBT Rights in
Hamgyong-namdo

38
Nampo Flag

LGBT Rights in
Nampo

38
Hwanghae-bukto Flag

LGBT Rights in
Hwanghae-bukto

38
Nason Flag

LGBT Rights in
Nason

38
Kangwon-do Flag

LGBT Rights in
Kangwon-do

38
Kaesong Flag

LGBT Rights in
Kaesong

38
Pyongan-namdo Flag

LGBT Rights in
Pyongan-namdo

38
Hamgyong-bukdo Flag

LGBT Rights in
Hamgyong-bukdo

38
Yanggang-do Flag

LGBT Rights in
Yanggang-do

38
Chagang-do Flag

LGBT Rights in
Chagang-do