Women in their 40s sentenced to probation for enticing female college students into egg donation sale

Two women in their 40s who attempted to entice female college students in Busan with the phrase "high-paying short-term job" in women's restrooms to sell their eggs have been sentenced to probation by the court.

They were prosecuted for attempting to induce egg donation by offering hundreds of thousands of won in monetary benefits to female students.

On the 24th, the Busan District Court's Criminal Division 5, led by Judge Kim Hyun-seok, announced that it sentenced A and B, who were indicted for violating the Bioethics and Safety Act, to four months in prison with a one-year probation each.

The two defendants attached flyers containing QR codes that connected to a KakaoTalk open chat room they created in women's restrooms at universities in Busan in 2024.

Their illegal actions clearly violate the Bioethics Act, which strictly prohibits inducing or facilitating the provision of embryos, eggs, or sperm based on monetary or property benefits.

Notably, B actively appealed in the chat room, stating, "It's about donating eggs to me. I plan to compensate you generously."

Illegal attempt at egg sale did not lead to actual transactions

Within a week of posting the flyers, A received contact from six female college students, and B from seven.

The two defendants offered a substantial reward of 5 to 6 million won, claiming they were looking for egg donors, but fortunately, no actual sales occurred.

Judge Kim Hyun-seok pointed out in the judgment document, "The nature of this offense is not trivial." However, he explained that he considered factors such as the defendants acknowledging their crimes and showing remorse, and the fact that they were first-time offenders when deciding on probation.

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