Doctors who performed an abortion on a woman 36 weeks into pregnancy, resulting in the death of the fetus, were sentenced to prison terms in their first trial.
The 33rd Criminal Division of Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday sentenced hospital director Yoon to six years in prison and a 1.5 million won fine on charges including murder. The court revoked his bail and took him into custody. Surgeon Shim received a four-year prison sentence, while the mother, Kwon, was sentenced to three years in prison with a five-year suspension.
"The victim ended a short life in a refrigerator without ever taking a single breath," the court said. "The suffering is beyond imagination."
The court criticized Yoon for falsifying medical records, destroying evidence, and concealing the crime when criminal punishment became a concern. Regarding Kwon, the court explained the sentencing by noting she "killed the victim without seeking other alternatives" and "was only worried about surgical scars remaining on her body."
However, the court pointed out that no legislative reform has occurred since the Constitutional Court's ruling of unconstitutionality on abortion laws, and social protections for pregnant women in crisis remain insufficient.
The defendants were indicted in June 2024 on charges of extracting a 36-week fetus via cesarean section and killing it by placing it in a freezer. The case came to light when Kwon, a YouTuber, posted a video titled "Total Surgery Cost 9 Million Won, 120 Hours of Hell."