The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) approved the establishment of the "Byun Hee-soo Foundation" to support transgender people. It came about 1 year and 10 months after the application was filed.
On the 5th, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) held its sixth standing committee meeting and passed the "agenda item to approve the establishment of a nonprofit corporation" to set up the Byun Hee-soo Foundation. Three standing commissioners, including Standing Commissioner Lee Suk-jin, voted in favor, and Chairperson Ahn Chang-ho was said to have expressed no particular opinion.
Groups including the Military Human Rights Center submitted an application to establish the Byun Hee-soo Foundation in May 2024. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is required to grant or deny approval within 20 days from the date of application receipt unless there is a special reason, but it has postponed its decision seven times until this day.
The late Sergeant Byun Hee-soo underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2019. The Army classified the physical changes from the surgery as a mental and physical disability and forcibly discharged Byun in Jan. 2020. Byun filed an administrative lawsuit seeking to overturn the discharge but was found dead at home in Mar. 2021 ahead of the first hearing.