[Comprehensive] "I Wanted to Stay in the Military" Who Is Former Corporal Byeon Hee-su, Forced to Discharge After Gender Transition?

First Male-to-Female Gender Transition During Army Service
Discharged Due to Mental and Physical Disability... Filed Lawsuit to Cancel Discharge
Last Year in a Letter: "I Will Die as a Soldier Even If I Die"
"I Want to Survive and See Society Change"

Former Corporal Byeon Hee-soo (23), who was discharged after gender transition, was found dead on the 3rd at her home in Sangdang-gu, Cheongju. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] Byeon Hee-soo (23), a former corporal who was forcibly discharged from the army after gender reassignment surgery, was found dead at her home on the 3rd. Byeon was the first person in the army to undergo gender reassignment surgery from male to female while in service, and although she wished to continue serving, she was forcibly discharged due to mental and physical disability.

Byeon was found dead at her home located in Sangdang-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk Province, around 5:40 p.m. that day. The person who reported was Byeon's mental health center counselor, who called 119 after not hearing from Byeon since the 28th of last month.

When the 119 emergency responders arrived and entered the home, Byeon was already deceased. The fire department estimates, based on the state of decomposition, that Byeon had passed away several days prior.

No suicide note was found at the scene. The police are investigating the exact circumstances of Byeon's death.

Byeon was the first person in South Korea to undergo gender reassignment surgery overseas while on military leave during her service. Serving as an army tank operator non-commissioned officer, she realized her gender identity was female, received psychological counseling and hormone therapy, and underwent gender reassignment surgery in Thailand in November 2019 before returning to her unit.

Private Byeon submitted a complaint for an administrative lawsuit to cancel his discharge disposition to the Daejeon District Court in August last year. / Photo by Yonhap News

At that time, Byeon wished to continue serving as a female soldier. However, the military conducted a mandatory physical examination regarding her bodily changes, judged her to have a Grade 3 mental and physical disability, and decided to discharge her in January of last year.

Byeon filed a personnel appeal with the Army Headquarters in February of the same year, requesting a review of the military's decision. The army dismissed the appeal, stating, "The discharge was lawfully carried out according to the mandatory review standards and discharge procedures stipulated in the Military Personnel Act."

Subsequently, Byeon filed an administrative lawsuit in August last year at the Daejeon District Court to cancel the discharge order.

At that time, Byeon submitted a complaint to the court stating, "When I came out and decided to correct my gender, I had hope for a better world, supported by fellow soldiers, friends, sexual minorities, and my legal team, and I want to start this fight again."

Byeon also confessed the hardships she faced as a sexual minority after her gender reassignment decision. In a letter published in 'Hankyoreh' in March last year, she said, "I thought I would die as a soldier, and the military would understand my determination and will," adding, "Even if I were discharged, I thought I would re-enlist, and if not possible, I wanted to remain in the military as a civilian employee."

She continued, "When the discharge order actually came, I felt like I had to die to sound an alarm to society. That feeling was overwhelming."

However, she emphasized, "Let's not die. I know this is a very difficult thing to say, but isn't it too young to die?" and "I hope to survive and see society change."

Byeon, former sergeant, attending a press conference held at the Center for Military Human Rights in Mapo-gu, Seoul, last January. / Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, following the news of Byeon's death, tributes from sexual minority and civic groups have continued.

Broadcaster Harisu posted on her Instagram on the 4th, saying, "I sincerely pray for the deceased's soul."

Known as South Korea's first transgender celebrity, Harisu once appeared on a broadcast and lamented, "It has been 20 years since I revealed myself to the world, but human rights have regressed rather than progressed."

The transgender rights group 'Trans Liberation Front' also wrote on Facebook on the 3rd, "Many transgender queer individuals gained strength from Byeon's courageous choice," emphasizing, "We pray for Byeon's soul and will not forget her."

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