S Korea blocks army from appealing transgender soldier case
ABC News
South Korea’s Justice Ministry has blocked the army from appealing a landmark court ruling that said it unlawfully discharged the country’s first known transgender soldier before she was found dead earlier this year
SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea’s Justice Ministry on Friday blocked the army from appealing a landmark court ruling that said it unlawfully discharged the country’s first known transgender soldier before she was found dead earlier this year.
The ministry, which oversees lawsuits filed by government branches, said in a statement that its decision to instruct the army not to appeal was based on legal logic as well as “constitutional spirit of respecting human dignity" and public sentiment.
The Defense Ministry said earlier this week it decided to let the army appeal in the case of former Staff Sergeant Byun Hui-su and requested the Justice Ministry to approve the filing.
That angered human rights advocates, who urged the military to accept the verdict and work out measures to guarantee service for sexual minorities.
