40s Couple in Extramarital Relationship Sentenced for Abandonment and Sale of Newborns

A couple in their 40s, who were in an extramarital relationship, has been sentenced to prison for the unlawful transfer and sale of two babies they gave birth to, without following legal procedures.

It was revealed that they handed over their children to strangers they met online without properly verifying their identities.

On the 21st, the Busan District Court’s Criminal Division 10 (Judge Heo Seong-min) announced the sentencing of a 40-year-old man, Mr. A, to 1 year and 2 months in prison for violating the Child Welfare Act (child abandonment, neglect, and child trafficking).

A 40-year-old woman, Ms. B, who was charged alongside him, received a sentence of 2 years in prison with 3 years of probation. Additionally, both were ordered to refrain from employment in child-related organizations for 3 years and to complete 40 hours of child abuse treatment programs.

Searching for Adopters Online After Childbirth

The couple, who had been in a relationship since 2008, resorted to illegal methods to dispose of their children after giving birth.

Mr. A, a married man, contacted a person named Mr. C, who posted online saying "looking to adopt a baby," when Ms. B gave birth to a baby boy at an obstetrics clinic in Sasang-gu, Busan, in March 2013. About a month later, when Mr. C and his wife visited the clinic, the couple handed over their newborn without any proper identity verification procedures.

Their illegal actions did not stop there. In January 2018, Ms. B gave birth to a baby girl at a hospital in Dongnae-gu, Busan, and Mr. A once again posted online, stating "looking for someone to take care of a newborn."

It was revealed that they effectively sold the baby girl to a person named Mr. D, who contacted them after seeing the post, by asking him to pay 288,000 won for hospital expenses.

Judge Heo Seong-min stated in the ruling, "They abandoned the victim child immediately after birth without following proper legal procedures" and pointed out, "Despite having already committed the same crime once, they sold another child after giving birth again, which weighs heavily on their culpability." He particularly noted, "The baby girl was born somewhat prematurely and was not handed over to someone capable of raising her properly," explaining the reasons for the sentencing, "She has been growing in an unhealthy and abnormal environment for a long period without even being registered at birth until the crime was discovered."

Meanwhile, Mr. A received a separate sentence of 1 year in prison for other charges, including unlicensed driving, embezzlement in the course of work, fraud, and forgery of documents.

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