The existence of transgender people in Korea is known with the debut of Ha Ri-Su in 2001. Ha Ri-Su, the first transgender entertainer of Korea, acted confidently on the broadcast and played a role in raising the issue related to transgender to surface. At that time, the law about transgender people's sex amendment was not enacted. On June 22th, 2006, however, the Supreme Court allowed transgender people to correct and change their name, including family name, under the condition that “the person has undergone gender reassignment surgery and has a body including an external genital as an opposite-sex.” This happened five years after the existence of transgender people came to the surface.  

Even though our society requires gender reassignment surgery to correct the sex legally, in 2003, some courts have made precedents of approving gender correction without the surgery. In 2007, the sex of transgender person without the surgery was corrected. 

■ Sergeant Beon Hee-Soo's forced discharge case. 

"I hope all gender minority soldiers, including myself, will be able to carry out the mission under the environment without discrimination, in a human rights-friendly changing military. (…) I want to show everyone that I can be one of the excellent soldiers securing the country regardless of my gender identity. Please give me the opportunity."

Sergeant Beon Hee-Soo, who served as a non-commissioned officer at the 5th Armored Brigade of the ROK army, was rejected for return to duty after he did a sex reassignment surgery with overseas leave approval for medical purpose. According to the Ministry of National Defense regulation on the discharge of mentally or physically handicapped persons, “a person who removed both testicles” is sorted as a third grade of mental and physical disability. Sergeant Beon desired to continue military service as a female soldier, but it was never approved but ignored. Beon, who proudly claimed for the right standing against the hatred, eventually died during an administrative lawsuit for canceling forced discharge.

■ Sookmyung Women's University admission issue

"The natural goal of going to university. Even this dream is a question for someone and is only a subject of investigation. Moreover, my life is constantly ignored and "opposed" in others' daily lives. My right to manage my everyday life is now taken away."

A transgender woman who passed the regular admission of Sookmyung Women's University law school has faced objections. When the acceptance was announced, the Sookmyung women's University students protested strongly at the admission office and the General alumni association. Some school's human rights clubs welcomed and supported the admission of transgender people, but they were only a few. One student at an interview with Yonhap News Agency said, "Women University is for women who had less opportunity than men in education, and society. I do not know why a person who lived as a man until last year is going to enter a women's university. Here is for a person who has been born as a woman and has been subjected to social discrimination and oppression."

After all, the transgender student gave up the admission. The student was hurt by hate speech and personal insults that went beyond simple opposition. 

What would gender minorities think about this issue? Lee Hoon, the chairman of Sungkonghoe University's Human Rights Commission and gender minority activist, expressed his sadness, saying, "I have felt that there is a lack of gender consciousness in Korea. Aside from gender minorities, I feel every day how serious the hatred of minorities such as No-kids zone and the disabled's right to move." He also told us not to give up saying. "Nevertheless, it is true that we have grown, compared to the past. We should look at the future broadly, not tomorrow, a week, and now. We are heading in a progressive direction. Even though it is difficult right now, we should have hope that tomorrow will change based on each other's courage."\

Reported Channel PNU

Translated by Lee Su-Hyun