Byun Hui-su, the first known transgender soldier in South Korea, found dead in her home
Byun Hui-su, the first known transgender soldier in South Korea, was found dead in her home on March 3. A cause of death has not been announced.
In January 2020, Byun's story made international headlines when she sued the South Korean military for discharging her after she underwent gender affirmation surgery in 2019. Byun had been hoping to serve in the country's female corps, but her military reinstatement was rejected in July 2020, per the BBC. The decision to not reinstate Byun was criticized by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea.
'It was an extremely difficult decision to let my base know of my identity, but once I did, I felt much better,' Byun said in 2020. She added, 'Apart from my gender identity, I want to show everyone that I can also be one of the great soldiers who protect this country.'
South Korea requires all 'able-bodied' men to serve about two years in its military. Byun's case also shed light on the ways South Korea remains largely conservative when it comes to the rights of LGBTQ+ people in the country; according to the BBC, the country has no laws preventing anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination. The announcement of Byun's death led to an outpouring of support across social media on Wednesday. She was 23.
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