By JADA LEMOS
Staff Writer
The first transgender soldier in South Korea, who was discharged from the military last year for having gender reassignment surgery, was found dead in her home on Wednesday, March 3. Byun Hui-Su, who was a 23 year old staff sergeant, was found by emergency officials at her home in the city of Cheongju, just south of Seoul. There was no immediate word on the cause of her death.
A local counseling center that she had registered at reported to officials that she couldn’t be contacted since February 28, the local fire department said. Authorities said it appeared that Hui-Su had been dead for a few days.
Hui-Su had expressed hope of continuing to serve in the military’s female corps, and had been pursuing a lawsuit contesting her dismissal, with a hearing expected in April. South Korean civilians and people all over the world had expressed their condolences for Hui-Su, as she was brave enough to take action in a country that prohibits transgender people from joining the military.