"Son for Sale at 500,000 Won"... Controversy Over Post on Chinese Secondhand Trading Platform

Controversial Seller on the Day "Posted as a Joke" Deletes Post
Similar Incident Occurred in Korea in 2020

A post offering a male infant for sale at about 500,000 won on a secondhand trading platform in China has sparked outrage.

On the 6th (local time), according to Chinese media Sina.com and others, a post selling an infant was recently uploaded on the secondhand trading platform 'Xianyu.' The seller proposed a price of 2,800 yuan (approximately 500,000 won) along with a message saying, "If interested, please contact me via chat."

[Image source=Pixabay]

A user who came across the post said, "I pretended to be a buyer and asked about the child's health condition, and the seller replied that there was a health certificate and that a physical examination could be done on site." The user added, "The child was wearing a gold bracelet, so it seemed either kidnapped or possibly the seller's own child." The user reported the seller to the police.

However, the seller reportedly told the police that the post was made "for fun." Currently, the post has been deleted from Xianyu, and the seller's account has also disappeared. Xianyu stated, "The site has a strict screening system, and if any signs of child trafficking are detected, the account is deleted."

A similar incident occurred in South Korea previously. In 2020, a single mother in her 20s, Ms. A, posted on a secondhand trading application with a selling price of 200,000 won and the title "Adopting out my child. 36 weeks old." Photos showing the child wrapped in a blanket were also posted, causing a stir.

During the police investigation, Ms. A stated, "After giving birth without the baby's father, I was angry because I was advised to go through the adoption process at a single mother center." However, she added, "I realized immediately after posting that it was wrong, deleted the post, and withdrew my account."