S Korean court: Discharge of late transgender soldier unjust

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean court has ruled that the military unlawfully discriminated against the country’s first known transgender soldier by discharging her for undergoing gender reassignment surgery, in a landmark verdict that came seven months after she was found dead at her home. Activist groups welcomed the decision but also described it as delayed justice for Byun Hui-su, who had protested the army’s decision to force her out. South Korea prohibits transgender people from joining the military but has no specific laws on what to do with those who have sex reassignment operations during their time in service. Her plight struck a nerve in a deeply conservative country where transgender people and other sexual minorities often face harassment. The army didn’t say if it would appeal.