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NHRCK Hears Testimonies by Transgender Persons and Holds an Expert Debate on Sex Change
Date : 2007.02.28 00:00:00
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NHRCK Hears Testimonies by Transgender Persons and Holds an Expert Debate on Sex Change
On February 21, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) invited transgender persons and experts on sex change of transsexuals to hear their remarks and opinions.
The hearing and debate were held to provide a forum where contentious issues related to sex change of transsexuals could be discussed in response to a complaint that was filed in connection with the Supreme Court’s Rules on Family Registration No. 716, “Guidelines for Handling of Affairs Concerning Transsexuals’ Filings for Permission of Sex Change” enacted on September 6, 2006.
In the hearing, transgender persons expressed their opinions in person. Among them was a transgender person who underwent a sex-change operation, the type of transsexual at issue in the controversy over sex change.
By law, any transsexual who was once married or has a child is prohibited from changing his or her sex in the family registry. A transsexual who is in such a plight gave a testimony. Transsexual juveniles also attended the hearing and were given the opportunity to explain their hardships related with sex change.
After these testimonies were given, medical experts engaged in debate. They reviewed the issue of sex change by transsexuals from the perspective of social and legal stability and basic rights as well as medical respects. They also examined the relevant legislation and related problems. The debate was conducted with respect to a critical review of the Supreme Court’s position on permitting gender and name change and the rationale for judgment regarding transgender persons" sex change
Lawyers, doctors, and Supreme Court officials who are experts on the issue of sex change including NHRCK Commissioner Hye-Soo Shin attended the forum and had an in-depth debate. The debate included reviews concerning (i) the issue of sex change by transgender persons from the perspective of social and legal stability (Yeon-Hee Kim, lawyer); (ii) the issue of sex change by transgender persons from the standpoint of basic rights and precedents in foreign countries (Sang-Hee Han, professor of law at Konkuk University); (iii) the issue of sex change by transgender persons from a medical perspective (Moo-Sang Lee, professor of medicine at Yonsei University); (iv) legislation on sex change and related problems (Hyun-Shik Yoon, head of the legislation department of the Policy Committee of the Democratic Labor Party); and (v) the Supreme Court’s position on permitting sex and name change of transsexuals and the rationale for judgment regarding sex change.
The forum was a good opportunity to collect public opinions with respect to thorny issues pertaining to sex change by transsexuals and to intensely discuss ways to improve sex change practices in light of the Constitution, international standards, and foreign precedents.
