Seoul, South Korea (CNN) The South Korean military said it will make an unprecedented decision about the future of transgender soldiers who serve in the armed forces following a noncommissioned officer's decision to undergo sex reassignment surgery.

The case has sparked a wider discussion in the socially conservative country about the rights of gay and transgender South Koreans.

During a briefing Thursday, a South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman said there are no regulations on the books that outline what to do when a transgender soldier undergoes transition surgery. A committee will decide in the coming days whether to discharge the soldier or allow her to keep serving in the military, the spokesman said.

Under current regulations, transgender Koreans are prohibited from entering the military, but there are no regulations regarding soldiers in active service, the spokesman clarified.

The soldier, who has not been named, underwent sex reassignment surgery in Thailand late last year while she was on personal leave. She is a professional officer who was not drafted, but rather signed up for the military.

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