After News of Investigation, YouTuber Who Posted "36-Week Abortion" Video Deletes Content

All Videos Deleted Following Ministry of Health and Welfare's Request for Investigation

On July 17, it was confirmed that the YouTuber who recently uploaded an "abortion vlog" claiming to have undergone an abortion at 36 weeks of pregnancy has deleted all of her previously released videos. This comes just two days after the Ministry of Health and Welfare requested a police investigation into both the YouTuber and the doctor who performed the procedure.

Last month, an individual identified as Ms. A, who introduced herself as a woman in her 20s, uploaded a video to YouTube documenting her abortion at 36 weeks of pregnancy. In the video, Ms. A claimed that after her period stopped in March, she was diagnosed at a hospital with polycystic ovary syndrome and hormone imbalance-induced irregular menstruation. However, she asserted that she only discovered she was pregnant at 36 weeks.

She went on to say, "I visited three hospitals, but all of them refused. I looked for other hospitals, but none would perform the procedure." Ms. A stated that she eventually found a hospital willing to perform the abortion and paid approximately 9 million won for the surgery.

As the video spread across online communities, netizens criticized her, citing the Mother and Child Health Act, which defines abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy as illegal, and accused her of "fetal murder."

As the controversy grew, the Ministry of Health and Welfare filed a criminal complaint with the police, accusing both the YouTuber and the doctor who performed the surgery of murder. At a regular press briefing, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Cho Jiho stated, "Unlike other typical abortion cases, we plan to conduct a thorough investigation." The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency assigned the case to its Criminal Investigation Unit.

On July 16, the Seoul Medical Association also issued a statement, saying, "If the allegations are proven true, we believe that strong punishment is necessary for the medical staff who performed an abortion at 36 weeks of pregnancy." They continued, "If the allegations are false, this constitutes a serious criminal act that misleads the public for financial gain through YouTube, undermines trust between doctors and patients, and even threatens the lives of citizens. We strongly urge strict punishment in this case." Regardless of the video's authenticity, the association called for severe penalties.

The criminal provisions regarding abortion were removed after the Constitutional Court ruled the related clauses unconstitutional in April 2019. The court called for alternative legislation by the end of 2020, but discussions have stalled. The government, National Assembly, and academia have proposed various standards for permitting abortion, including at 14 weeks, 24 weeks, or full legalization, but no social consensus has been reached.