Several more court battles are expected in South Korea, after judges rejected equal marriage.

A lawsuit filed by a prominent gay film director and his partner seeking legal status for their same-sex marriage was rejected by a South Korean district court this month in the first case of its kind.

Same-sex couples have no legal recognition in South korea.

Movie director Kim Jho Gwang-Soo and his long-time partner Kim Seung-Hwan, held a wedding ceremony in Seoul in 2013 and submitted their marriage registration form to their local authority, only for it to be rejected.

The couple challenged the decision in a lawsuit – but in a ruling this week a district court rejected their legal bid.

However, the pair have filed an appeal against the ruling, while a number of other cases have been filed by at least two other same-sex couples.

Kim Seung-Hwan said: “I would like to ask all same-sex couples to come out of the closet and join us.

“The legalisation will happen faster if the concerned party gets bigger.”

Their lawyer Ryu Min-Hee said that in addition to the appeal, two more same-sex couples would file separate suits seekin.

They said: “We will continue to add litigants. The voice will get louder from all regions.

“The plaintiffs have waited a long time.”

“When in doubt, all laws should be interpreted in a constitutional way.

“We’re disappointed but we’re not done yet.”