Police Launch Investigation into '36-Week Late-Term Abortion Video'... "Comprehensive Legal Review"

The police have launched an investigation after a video claiming to show the abortion (pregnancy termination) of a 36-week-old fetus sparked controversy online.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 15th, Jo Ji-ho, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, stated at a regular press briefing, "While we do not recognize abortion as murder, we will comprehensively ascertain the facts and review the applicable laws," adding, "This case will be investigated more thoroughly than other abortion cases."

Regarding the authenticity of the abortion, Commissioner Jo said, "From the YouTube video, it appears so, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare has filed a complaint," and added, "If no abortion was performed, there is no practical reason to investigate." When asked whether the video uploader and the medical practitioner who performed the procedure had been identified, he explained, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare has not specified them; this needs to be confirmed through investigation."

Earlier, a woman in her 20s, who identified herself as A, uploaded a YouTube video claiming that she underwent an abortion procedure at 36 weeks of pregnancy, having been unaware of her pregnancy. The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that it had requested a police investigation into the pregnant woman and the medical practitioner. A ministry official stated, "We referred to a court precedent where a doctor who aborted a 34-week fetus was charged with murder when requesting the investigation."

The abortion law lost its penalty provisions after the relevant clause was declared unconstitutional in April 2019. The Constitutional Court demanded substitute legislation by the end of 2020, but discussions have not progressed. The government, National Assembly, and academia have proposed various opinions on abortion allowance criteria, including 14 weeks, 24 weeks of pregnancy, or full allowance, but no social consensus has been reached.