Current Version
| Region | South Korea |
| Issue | Right to change legal gender |
| Status | Legal, but requires surgery |
| Start Date | Jun 22, 2006 |
| End Date | Mar 15, 2020 |
| Description | There is and has been no law outlining requirements for changing legal gender. However the supreme court has allowed such procedure with en banc ruling from 2006. The requirements are governed by the guidelines set by the supreme court. These guidelines have included abusive or discriminatory requirements, such being at least 19 years old themselves, as well as being unmarried, diagnosed with “transsexualism” and having undergone hormone therapy and been sterilized. |
| Sources | https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/11/south-korea-supreme-court-ruling-on-legal-gender-recognition-an-important-step-forward-for-transgender-rights/ https://www.npr.org/2022/11/25/1139190242/south-koreas-supreme-court-rules-on-legal-transgender-recognition https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/pc/view/view.do?ncd=7958567&ref=A https://www.transgender.or.kr/29/?q=YToyOntzOjEyOiJrZXl3b3JkX3R5cGUiO3M6MzoiYWxsIjtzOjQ6InBhZ2UiO2k6Mjt9&bmode=view&idx=6259214&t=board&category=dtl3T42x8T |
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Revision History (7)
edited by cherryband. The previous guideline on LGR has been superceded in 2020, making surgery an option and not a requirement.
| Old Value | New Value (Current) | |
|---|---|---|
| End Date | (none) | Mar 15, 2020 |
edited by cherryband. Specify time period, detail legal status of LGR
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Start Date | (unknown) | Jun 22, 2006 |
| End Date | (none) | Nov 23, 2020 |
| Description | In a victory for LGBTQ rights, South Korea's supreme court ruled that transgender people have the right to change their legal sex status, regardless of whether they have underage children. These guidelines include abusive or discriminatory requirements, such being at least 19 years old themselves, as well as being unmarried, diagnosed with “transsexualism” and having undergone hormone therapy and been sterilized. | There is and has been no law outlining requirements for changing legal gender. However the supreme court has allowed such procedure with en banc ruling from 2006. The requirements are governed by the guidelines set by the supreme court. These guidelines have included abusive or discriminatory requirements, such being at least 19 years old themselves, as well as being unmarried, diagnosed with “transsexualism” and having undergone hormone therapy and been sterilized. |
Show Difference | ||
| Sources | https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/11/south-korea-supreme-court-ruling-on-legal-gender-recognition-an-important-step-forward-for-transgender-rights/, https://www.npr.org/2022/11/25/1139190242/south-koreas-supreme-court-rules-on-legal-transgender-recognition | https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/11/south-korea-supreme-court-ruling-on-legal-gender-recognition-an-important-step-forward-for-transgender-rights/ https://www.npr.org/2022/11/25/1139190242/south-koreas-supreme-court-rules-on-legal-transgender-recognition https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/pc/view/view.do?ncd=7958567&ref=A https://www.transgender.or.kr/29/?q=YToyOntzOjEyOiJrZXl3b3JkX3R5cGUiO3M6MzoiYWxsIjtzOjQ6InBhZ2UiO2k6Mjt9&bmode=view&idx=6259214&t=board&category=dtl3T42x8T |
Show Difference | ||
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | There is no law governing legal gender recognition in South Korea, which means that applicants must apply for legal gender recognition through the courts in accordance with the “Guidelines for the Handling of Petition for Legal Sex Change Permit of Transgender People” adopted by the Supreme Court in 2006. These guidelines include abusive or discriminatory requirements, such being at least 19 years old themselves, as well as being unmarried, diagnosed with “transsexualism” and having undergone hormone therapy and been sterilized. | In a victory for LGBTQ rights, South Korea's supreme court ruled that transgender people have the right to change their legal sex status, regardless of whether they have underage children. These guidelines include abusive or discriminatory requirements, such being at least 19 years old themselves, as well as being unmarried, diagnosed with “transsexualism” and having undergone hormone therapy and been sterilized. |
Show Difference | ||
| Sources | https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/11/south-korea-supreme-court-ruling-on-legal-gender-recognition-an-important-step-forward-for-transgender-rights/ | https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/11/south-korea-supreme-court-ruling-on-legal-gender-recognition-an-important-step-forward-for-transgender-rights/, https://www.npr.org/2022/11/25/1139190242/south-koreas-supreme-court-rules-on-legal-transgender-recognition |
Show Difference | ||
Reports (1)
- Status is not correct "cannot have kids"
edited by rainbowmit1. Corrected error
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Legal, no restrictions | Legal, but requires surgery |
| Start Date | Mar 22, 2013 | (unknown) |
| Description | Transgender persons are permitted to change their gender without having had sexual reassignment surgeries. | There is no law governing legal gender recognition in South Korea, which means that applicants must apply for legal gender recognition through the courts in accordance with the “Guidelines for the Handling of Petition for Legal Sex Change Permit of Transgender People” adopted by the Supreme Court in 2006. These guidelines include abusive or discriminatory requirements, such being at least 19 years old themselves, as well as being unmarried, diagnosed with “transsexualism” and having undergone hormone therapy and been sterilized. |
Show Difference | ||
| Sources | http://transgriot.blogspot.ca/2013/03/south-korean-court-rules-trans-people.html | https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/11/south-korea-supreme-court-ruling-on-legal-gender-recognition-an-important-step-forward-for-transgender-rights/ |
Show Difference | ||
| Old Value (Original) | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Legal, but requires surgery | Legal, no restrictions |
| Original entry | |
|---|---|
| Status | Legal, but requires surgery |
| Start Date | Mar 22, 2013 |
| End Date | (none) |
| Description | Transgender persons are permitted to change their gender without having had sexual reassignment surgeries. |
| Sources | http://transgriot.blogspot.ca/2013/03/south-korean-court-rules-trans-people.html |
Reports (6)
- Status is not correct "Read source. "
- Status is not correct "entry should be from 22 Mar 2013 to 2017, "Legal, surgery not required for trans men""
- Status is not correct "Should not say "requires surgery"; the ruling in 2013 established trans men not having to get surgery, and in 2017 it was established for trans women"
- Newer law has been passed
- Status is not correct "In 2013 a court ruled that transsexuals can change their legal sex without undergoing genital surgery: http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/578323.html"
- Other "It is contradictory. It says the country requires surgery, but the details say otherwise?"