A South Korean court has convicted a woman, identified only as Kwon, and two doctors of murder after a baby delivered at 36 weeks was placed in a freezer and left to die.
Prosecutors said medical records were falsified to indicate the infant had been stillborn.
The case marks the first time murder charges have been brought in South Korea for a late-term abortion involving a baby born alive. During the trial, the hospital director and operating surgeon admitted to killing the child, while the court considered the country’s unclear legal framework around abortion in sentencing.
Kwon, in her 20s, had discovered her pregnancy late and cited financial instability and concerns about the baby’s health. The court ruled she was aware the baby would be delivered alive, though leniency was applied due to limited social support for women in similar situations.
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