South Korea jails doctors for killing baby delivered at 36 weeks

In South Korea, two doctors were jailed on Wednesday for murdering an infant delivered at 36 weeks of pregnancy. The doctors left the baby to die in a freezer, leading to a police investigation after the infant's mother, surnamed Kwon, posted a YouTube video in 2024 claiming she had an abortion at 36 weeks. The head of the hospital where the procedure occurred received a six-year prison sentence and was ordered to pay 1.15 billion won (US$780,000) in restitution. The doctor who performed the procedure was sentenced to four years in prison. The case highlights the legal complexities surrounding abortion in South Korea, which has decriminalized the practice but lacks comprehensive regulations.

A South Korean court convicted a woman, identified as Kwon, and two doctors of murder for the death of her newborn baby. Kwon, seeking a late-term abortion at 36 weeks, delivered a live baby via C-section. Prosecutors argued the doctors then placed the baby in a freezer until it died. The surgeon received a four-year prison sentence, the hospital director six years, and Kwon a three-year suspended sentence. The case, triggered by Kwon's YouTube video about the termination, has sparked debate in South Korea, where abortion is decriminalized but lacks clear regulations. The hospital allegedly performed over 500 abortions, facilitated by brokers, and falsified records in Kwon's case to indicate a stillbirth.