Court to Hold First Trial Today for Biological Mother Seok Mo in 'Gumi 3-Year-Old Girl' Case... Attention on Whether She Will Maintain Previous Position

On the morning of the 11th of last month, the maternal grandmother, identified as the biological mother of a 3-year-old girl who died in Gumi, Gyeongbuk, entered the Daegu District Court Gimcheon Branch to attend a pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant hearing).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The first trial for Seok (48), identified as the biological mother of the deceased 3-year-old girl in the ‘Gumi 3-year-old girl death’ case, will be held on the 22nd.

Judge Seo Cheong-woon of the Criminal Division 2 at Gimcheon Branch of Daegu District Court will conduct Seok’s first hearing at 11 a.m. on the same day. Seok was arrested and indicted on charges of abducting a minor and attempting to conceal a corpse.

Since this is the formal trial date, it is expected that with the defendant Seok present, the prosecution will first present the summary of the charges against Seok, confirm the defendant’s position on them, and then both sides will proceed with organizing the list of evidence.

Seok, initially known as the deceased girl’s maternal grandmother, was revealed to be the biological mother through DNA testing.

The prosecution believes that Seok swapped babies after giving birth around the same time as her daughter Kim (22).

However, Seok has consistently denied the charges, claiming she never gave birth to a child.

The trial is expected to focus on the circumstances under which the babies born to Seok and Kim at an obstetrics clinic in Gumi between late March and early April 2018 were swapped, the whereabouts of Kim’s baby that Seok took away, and the existence of accomplices who helped Seok commit the crime.

Attention is focused on whether Seok, who has denied that the child is hers even after the prosecution’s indictment and repeated DNA tests, will maintain her previous statements, and what evidence the prosecution will present to break Seok’s testimony.

Meanwhile, attorney Yoo Neung-jong, who had submitted a notice of appearance and a written opinion to the court regarding Seok’s case, suddenly submitted a resignation on the 14th.

At that time, Attorney Yoo did not disclose a clear reason for the resignation, stating only, “I have decided to resign because I can no longer provide legal representation.”