"Son Born Through IVF, Raised for 26 Years, but Different Genes from Father"

"Requested Explanation from Procedure-Responsible Professor but No Contact"

A story has emerged about a child born through in vitro fertilization at a university hospital in Seoul whose genetic makeup does not match that of the parents. Photo by CBS Kim Hyun-jung's News Show, YouTube channel video capture.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] A story has emerged about a son, conceived through in vitro fertilization at a university hospital, whose genetic makeup does not match that of his father. The person involved demanded an explanation from the professor in charge of the IVF procedure but has been unable to get in touch.

The individual, Mr. A, appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 17th to share this story. He underwent IVF at a university hospital in Seoul in 1996, and recently discovered through genetic testing that his son's DNA matches the mother's but not the father's.

Mr. A and his wife first sensed something was unusual when their child was five years old. He said, "When the child was about five, he received a hepatitis antibody shot and was tested. The pediatrician asked, 'You know your child is blood type A, right?' Both my wife and I are blood type B."

Mr. A and his wife then contacted Professor B, who was responsible for the IVF procedure. According to Mr. A, Professor B invited them to the hospital and showed them overseas data, saying, "There can be mutation cases in IVF babies," and reassured them, "There is nothing to worry about."

Twenty years later, Mr. and Mrs. A requested related documents from Professor B to explain why their son's blood type was different. However, Professor B did not respond for several months, and the hospital also said they could not provide assistance, which Mr. A found suspicious.

Eventually, Mr. and Mrs. A underwent paternity testing, which showed that the child's DNA matched the mother’s but not the father’s. Mr. A said, "The testing center found it strange and conducted the test three times. They said there was no match at all with the father. I didn’t want to believe it." He added, "I asked the professor, 'You mentioned this might be a mutation; have you ever seen such a case?' He said no. I was completely shocked and at a loss."

Mr. and Mrs. A repeatedly tried to contact Professor B for an explanation, but he remained silent. They also contacted the hospital, which replied that the professor had retired. Mr. A said that even after the IVF procedure 26 years ago, he had received regular obstetric check-ups from Professor B, and their second child was also conceived through IVF by Professor B.

Mr. A stated, "Through a lawyer, I learned that such cases due to hospital errors are common overseas in places like Singapore and the United States. It’s a difficult situation unless it was a mistake." He added, "At first, I just wanted to know the truth, but neither the hospital nor the doctor has taken responsibility. I am the victim, but there is no perpetrator, so I am considering legal action." He also said, "I haven’t told my son yet. I need to gather my thoughts and figure out how to explain this to him."