This April 16 photo shows Rep. Jang Hye-yeong speaking during a meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul. Jang and nine other lawmakers on Monday proposed to allow people to change their legal gender without undergoing surgery. Yonhap

A bill has been proposed to allow anyone to change their legal gender without having to undergo sex reassignment surgery.

Rep. Jang Hye-yeong and nine other lawmakers proposed the bill on Monday to ensure "the right to self-determination," saying the judicial guideline that de facto demands such surgery for legal gender change is too intrusive.

Without any law in place regarding the issue, many of those seeking to change their gender status find the process convoluted and even "insulting" as they face questions deemed too personal or unnecessary, they noted.

The bill also aims to strengthen their right to privacy. If passed, those found to have leaked information about their gender change could face up to three years in prison or a maximum fine of 30 million won ($22,000).

Yet the chances of the bill passing the National Assembly are close to zero, as major parties remain reluctant to vote for the bill.

Rep. Kim Hong-gul of the Democratic Party of Korea was the only major party lawmaker to sign the bill.