Police seek arrest warrant for hospital director, surgeon in 36-week abortion case

This undated photo shows a logo of the Korea National Police Agency in Seodaemun District, Seoul. Korea Times file Police sought an arrest warrant for the head of the obstetrics and gynecology hospital, and the operating surgeon on murder charges for performing an abortion during the 36th week of pregnancy, officials said Tuesday. In June, the police launched an investigation after a video surfaced on YouTube in which a woman in her 20s filmed a vlog about getting an abortion during the 36th week of her pregnancy and claimed she did not know about her pregnancy until that stage.

The police have applied murder charges against the head of the hospital, the operating surgeon and the YouTuber, as well as charges of assisting murder against four other medical staff. The arrest warrant hearing for the two doctors is slated for Wednesday. In Korea, abortion is permitted under five circumstances, including when the pregnant woman or her spouse has a genetic disability or contagious disease, when the pregnancy results from rape or incest, and when carrying the baby poses health risks to the woman.



In a landmark ruling in 2019, the Constitutional Court ruled that an outright ban on abortion is unconstitutional, removing the legal basis to criminally charge those who undergo the procedure in the country. (Yonhap).