Police Pursue Arrest Warrants in 36-Week Abortion Case Involving Hospital Director and Surgeon

SEOUL: Police are seeking arrest warrants for the director of an obstetrics and gynecology hospital and a surgeon on charges of murder, following an abortion performed at 36 weeks of pregnancy, officials announced on Tuesday. The investigation was initiated after a video surfaced online, documenting the procedure. According to Yonhap News Agency, the investigation commenced in June after a YouTube video was posted by a woman in her 20s. The video, presented as a vlog, detailed her experience of undergoing an abortion during the 36th week of pregnancy. The woman claimed in the video that she was unaware of her pregnancy until reaching that stage. The case has led police to apply murder charges against the hospital director, the surgeon who performed the abortion, and the YouTuber herself. Additionally, four other medical staff members face charges of assisting in the alleged murder. The legal proceedings are advancing, with the arrest warrant hearing for the two doctors scheduled for Wednesday. The case has reignited discussions on the legalities surrounding abortion in South Korea, where the procedure is allowed under specific conditions, such as when the pregnancy poses a health risk to the woman or results from rape or incest. South Korea's legal landscape regarding abortion underwent significant changes in 2019. A landmark ruling by the Constitutional Court deemed a total ban on abortion to be unconstitutional, effectively removing the legal grounds for criminally charging individuals who undergo the procedure. This ruling has played a crucial role in shaping the current legal context of abortion in the country.