Computer Says No – Anti-LGBTQ Bias in South Korea’s People Census and Statistical Reliability

In a change that has been met with praise from the LBGTQ+ community, on the 22nd of October, the South Korean Ministry for Data and Statistics announced an update to their 2025 Population and Housing Census where “spouse” and “cohabiting partner” would be legitimate relationship labels between same-sex partners. This article will discuss the previous design of the survey and how this change is important in regards to improving the census’s statistical reliability as well as its role in the evaluation and possible solution for South Korean critical policies including the declared national emergency of the country’s low birthrates.

The South Korean Population and Housing Census takes place every five years with the last taking place in 2020 with the purpose of identifying key data of individuals as well as housing units to support the formulation and advancement of national policies. On the 22nd of October, the survey will allow the relationship between a household member and head of house of the same-sex to be entered as “spouse” or “cohabiting partner”. Prior to this change, selecting these options in the survey would generate an error message. This marks the first time for South Korean same-sex couples being recognized in the country’s statistics. 

The South Korean Population and Housing Census states that it seeks to examine and identify characteristics of individuals and households in the country, and yet until very recently did not recognize same-sex live-in relationships. Research and means of data collection, like censuses, never operate in a vacuum and are always influenced by the traditions and values of their creators which can lead to bias. These can influence what questions are asked and which groups are acknowledged. In national censuses, the inclusion of exclusion of certain questions recognizes which identities the state identifies as significant. In this instance, the survey’s inability to record a same-sex partnership could be categorized as a selection bias, or more specifically an exclusion bias as same-sex couples were omitted from the data. The root of this bias could be the country’s negative view of LGBTQ+ individuals. South Korea as a country does not recognize same-sex marriages and furthermore, a survey from 2025 showed that 55% of the responders oppose the legalization of same-sex marriages. Previous movements towards strengthening rights of benefits for same-sex couples to match those of heterosexuals similarly have been met with mass protests. This strong opposition from the Korean people against LGBTQ+ people and same-sex couples could explain why the South Korean Population and Housing Census was designed to not encompass options for same-sex couples in its survey. 

The South Korean Population and Housing Census emphasises the sincerity of public answers as the sole basis of the reliability of data, however, representation and the availability of options that resonate with the public’s identity are crucial. The exclusion of same-sex relationships introduces bias and undermines data accuracy. This issue was one of the later stated reasons for the inclusion of same-sex relationships improving accuracy and reliability. Bias distorts truth and weakens external validity. By not allowing same-sex partners to be recorded in the survey, the census removes this group from statistics and scatters their data. Previously, same-sex partners had to choose the option for other co-inhabitants, creating a statistical blind spot and distorting data by lowering the number of partnered households and increasing non-relative cohabitation. In the US same-sex partnered households make up 7% of all partnered households and about 1% of all total households; if this is similar in South Korea, such misplacement would harm statistical reliability.

Allowing same-sex couples to be recorded would provide more accurate data on the numbers of single individuals and partnered households, heterosexual or queer, useful for evaluating policies on family building and birthrates. With South Korea having the world’s lowest birthrate deemed as a national emergency, such data could help identify target groups for pro-natal policies as sharing a household with a partner can be an indicator for having children. Although unlikely due to South Korea’s strong opposition to LGBTQ+ rights, including same-sex partners in households in the 2025 Population and Housing Census offers an opportunity to assess their potential role in addressing the low birthrate, such as evaluating same-sex couples’ access to donor insemination or other means of having children. In the US, same sex partnered households make up 6.9% of all partnered households, with 31% of female and  10% of male couples raising children. Furthermore, a survey also done in the US shows that more than 40% of married same-sex couples want to have children in the future. 

How or whether this data will be used in the 2025 census remains unclear as the previous South Korean Population and Housing Census did not classify households by type or relationship status. The data may appear under marriage statistics but might be excluded since South Korea does not recognize same-sex marriages. Still, collecting such information signals a step towards recognizing same-sex partnerships and enables statistical inclusion.

Recognizing partnership between same-sex couples illustrates how the census reflects the state’s traditions and the identities that it legitimises. It is also an example of how allowing survey options to be shaped by bias rather than sound statistical principles can make data unreliable, possibly affecting the evaluation of critical government policies, such as the South Korean low birth rate issue, when the public is unable to choose an option that represents their actual identity. Introducing more inclusive options for household relations instead provides more reliable data that can be the foundation for more accurate evaluations and possible solutions to government issues and policies, as well as offering recognition to those who can finally express their identity in the census that reflects reality. Although recording data on same-sex couples is unlikely to lead to government initiatives in favour of these groups, at least for now, due to the country’s strong opposition LGBTQ+ individuals, it can still be seen as an act of recognition and a first step towards more inclusivity towards these groups in South Korean society. This recognition of same-sex relationships in the census represents a positive milestone, however, multiple hurdles remain for the LGBTQ+ community in South Korea, where same-sex marriages are not recognized, and legal benefits such as financial support for housing, the ability to obtain an F-4 visa for one’s spouse or childcare support are denied to same-sex couples.