(LEAD) Forcibly discharged transgender soldier found dead at home
(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 2-4)
SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- Byun hee-soo, a 23-year-old transgender former soldier who was forcibly discharged from the Army last year, was found dead at her home, police said Wednesday.
A mental health counselor in her neighborhood in Cheongju, 150 kilometers south of Seoul, called 119 to report that Byun had not been reachable since Feb. 28, and firefighters found her dead at her house at 5:49 p.m., according to police officers.
The local mental health care clinic said Byun made an attempt to kill herself three months ago.
No suicide note was found, and police are investigating the death.
The Army made the discharge decision in January last year after judging that Byun's loss of male genitals belongs to the Level 3 physical disability under the military laws.
In July, the Army rejected Byun's petition for reinstatement. She filed an administrative suit against the Army's decision the following month, arguing it was unconstitutional.
In December, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) said the Army's decision not to allow Byun, then a staff sergeant, to continue to serve in the military as a female soldier had no legal grounds.
The NHRCK's opinion came after the Center for Military Human Rights Korea, a civic group, had filed a petition alleging Byun's forced military discharge was discrimination against transgender people.
Byun's case drew extensive attention because she was the first South Korean active-duty soldier to have sex reassignment surgery while in service.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)
-
Number of peak concurrent viewers on BTS online event surpasses 2.7 mln: agency
-
BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' extends longest streak on Billboard 200 by K-pop group to 60 weeks
-
Vaccine supply glitch threatening to take inoculation scheme off track
-
Hyundai Motor, BTS collaborate for Earth Day campaign
-
(LEAD) SHINee's Taemin to join military next month
-
Number of peak concurrent viewers on BTS online event surpasses 2.7 mln: agency
-
(LEAD) SHINee's Taemin to join military next month
-
Biden-Moon summit to highlight importance of U.S.-Korea relationship: Psaki
-
Women suffer greater employment shock than men amid pandemic: report
-
Piano is 'first love' of celebrated conductor Chung Myung-whun
-
City of Seoul seizes cryptocurrencies from tax delinquents
-
(LEAD) New COVID-19 infections nearing 800, rising untraceable cases portend further spike
-
S. Korea to invest 114 tln won by 2030 to expand railway network
-
U.S. fully ready to deter any aggression from N. Korea: U.S. commander
-
New COVID-19 infections nearing 800, rising untraceable cases portend further spike