Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Court rules surgery not required for legal change of sex
gettyimagesbank
By Jung Min-ho
A local court issued a ruling last month to permit people to change their legal sex status without having to undergo surgery.
According to the Cheongju District Court, Wednesday, judges allowed five people to amend their legal sex from female to male in early April in a verdict that defied the guidelines of the Supreme Court.
The guidelines say whether the person in question has received transgender surgery may be factored in when deciding whether to accept a request to change ones sex on official records.
The judges said telling people to receive surgery to alter their sex organs as a prerequisite to such a request could be a violation of the Constitution, which ensures human dignity and the right to pursue happiness.
Without any law in place regarding the issue, some judges here consider the guidelines as a critical factor, while others disregard them.