Byun Hui-su

{{Short description|South Korean soldier (1998–2021)}}

{{Use American English|date=March 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Family name hatnote|Byun|lang=Korean}}

{{Infobox military person

| name = Byun Hui-su

| image = Byunhuisu.png

| caption = Byun in 2021

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1998|6|11|df=y}}

| birth_place = Cheongju, South Korea

| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|2|27|1998|6|11|df=y}}

| death_place = Cheongju, South Korea

| placeofburial = Daejeon National Cemetery, Daejeon, South Korea

| allegiance = South Korea

| branch = Republic of Korea Army

| serviceyears = 2017–2021{{Cite news|title=South Korea's first transgender soldier found dead|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/04/south-koreas-first-transgender-soldier-found-dead|work=The Guardian|language=en-GB|date=4 March 2021|access-date=13 March 2025|issn=0261-3077}}

}}

Byun Hui-su (11 June 1998 – 27 February 2021) was a South Korean soldier. Known as the first transgender soldier in Republic of Korea Army.{{Cite web|title=South Korea's first known transgender soldier found dead – Pacific – Stripes|url=https://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/south-korea-s-first-known-transgender-soldier-found-dead-1.664253|newspaper=Stars and Stripes|date=3 March 2021|access-date=3 March 2021|archive-date=3 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303171017/https://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/south-korea-s-first-known-transgender-soldier-found-dead-1.664253|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|title=South Korea orders dismissal of transgender soldier|url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-01-22/south-korea-orders-dismissal-of-transgender-soldier|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|last=Victoria Kim|date=22 January 2020|access-date=3 March 2021}} She had risen to the rank of staff sergeant and was a tank driver before being discharged from the army in January 2020 after she underwent gender reassignment surgery in Thailand in November 2019. She had fought for the right to continue serving in the army, but was denied and discharged. The army subsequently denied her request for reinstatement in July 2020.{{Cite web|title='I will continue to fight': South Korea's first transgender soldier vows to oppose dismissal|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-military-lgbt/i-will-continue-to-fight-south-koreas-first-transgender-soldier-vows-to-oppose-dismissal-idUSKBN1ZL0QN|website=Reuters|last=Sangmi Cha, Hyonhee Shin|date=20 January 2020|access-date=3 March 2021}}{{Cite web|title='I will continue to fight': South Korea's first transgender soldier vows to oppose dismissal|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/01/22/asia-pacific/south-korea-first-transgender-soldier-dismissal/|newspaper=The Japan Times|date=22 January 2020|access-date=3 March 2021}}

Speaking about her decision to undergo surgery, she stated, "I thought I would finish serving in the army and then go through the transition surgery and then reenter the army as a female soldier. But my depression got too severe. I want to show everyone that I can also be one of the great soldiers who protect this country."

In 3 March 2021, she was found dead in her home. Workers from the Sangdanggu National Mental Health Center, where Byun received treatment, called for someone to check up on her as they hadn't been able to reach her since February 28. The fire department arrived at Byun's house, and found her body at 5:49 pm KST. Her body had already started to decompose.{{Cite web|title=South Korea's first known transgender soldier found dead|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/south-koreas-transgender-soldier-found-dead-76226064|website=ABC News|last=The Associated Press|date=3 March 2021|access-date=3 March 2021|archive-date=4 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304003934/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/south-koreas-transgender-soldier-found-dead-76226064|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|title=South Korea's first trans soldier found dead at 23|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-south-korea-first-trans-soldier-dead-byun-hee-soo-20210303-6eveuc6fyjgkjftn336zf5tsgq-story.html|newspaper=New York Daily News|last=Muri Assunção|date=3 March 2021|access-date=3 March 2021}} She was concluded to be dead on 27 February 2021.{{cite news|title=군 사망사고 진상규명위 "故 변희수 하사, '순직'으로 심사해야"|trans-title=Byun Hui-su staff sergeant should be determined death in line of duty, decided by Truth Commission on Deaths in the Military|url=https://imnews.imbc.com/news/2022/politics/article/6362618_35666.html|quote=위원회는 경찰 수사결과와 법의학 감정, 시신 검안의에 대한 조사 등을 바탕으로 변 하사의 사망시점을 확인한 결과 부사관 의무 복무 만료일 이전인 작년 2월 27일 사망한 것으로 결론 (Commission determined she was dead on Feb 27 last year (2021), based on the police investigation result, medocolegal reports, and interview with examining doctor.)|language=Korean|last1=Hong|first1=Eui-pyo|date=25 April 2022|access-date=4 June 2024}}

In October 2021, South Korean court ruled that the military discharge was unlawful and cancelled the discharge.{{Cite web |date=7 October 2021 |title=S Korean court: Discharge of late transgender soldier unjust |url=https://apnews.com/article/seoul-south-korea-fddf72e3c525e0ef9ea87612298e2ea2 |website=Associated Press}} Ministry of National Defense did not appeal the decision.{{cite news|title=故변희수 전 하사 '부당 전역' 판결 확정...軍, 항소 포기|trans-title=Late Byun-huisu 'unlawfully discharged' judgment became final... Army did not appeal|url=https://www.donga.com/news/Society/article/all/20211027/109931376/2|work=Donga|language=korean|last1=Kim|first1=So-yeong|date=27 October 2021|access-date=4 June 2024}} In April 2024, Ministry of Defense's Central Committee for Examination of Killed or Wounded in Action and Death or Injury in the Line of Duty decided to acknowledge that Byun died as a soldier on the line of duty, thus paved way to the possibility of Byun's burial in a national cemetery.{{Cite web|title=Panel recognizes late transgender soldier as dying on-duty death|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/05/113_372098.html|newspaper=The Korea Times|date=3 March 2021}} The appeals committee found that she died of a depression caused by discharge, and decided there was a probable cause in relation to official duties. This overturned Army General Committee for Examination of Killed or Wounded in Action and Death or Injury in the Line of Duty's December 2020 decision which determined her death was not related to the discharge.{{cite news|title=국방부, '성전환 뒤 강제전역' 변희수 하사 순직 인정|trans-title=Ministry of National Defense acknowledges staff sergeant Byun Hui-su who was discharged after gender affirmation surgery died on-duty|url=https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/politics/politics_general/1135327.html|publisher=Hankyoreh|last1=Shin|first1=Hyung-chul|date=4 April 2024|access-date=4 June 2024|archive-date=4 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240604101236/https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/politics/politics_general/1135327.html|url-status=live}} She was laid to rest at Daejeon National Cemetery.{{Cite news|title=Late transgender soldier to be laid to rest at nat'l cemetery|url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240605008000315|work=Yonhap News Agency|last=Chae|first=Yun-hwan|date=5 June 2024|access-date=13 March 2025|url-status=live}}