'36-Week Fetus Abortion' YouTuber Confirmed
20s Woman Living in Rural Area, Surgery Hospital Director Booked
KMA "Equivalent to Murder... Strong Response Planned"
The so-called 'abortion vlog' by a YouTuber who aborted a 36-week-old fetus has been confirmed as fact rather than fabrication. In response, the Korean Medical Association announced on the 13th that it has decided to refer the member who performed the abortion surgery to the Central Ethics Committee. The Medical Association stated, "A fetus at 36 weeks of pregnancy is a baby capable of growing well, and aborting it is no different from an act of murder," adding, "We will respond more strongly to unethical acts committed by doctors who always have the duty to do their best for the life and safety of patients."
On the 20th, the Korea Medical Association building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. The Korea Medical Association announced that instead of launching the "Pan-Medical Community Countermeasures Committee (Pan Committee)" as previously planned, it will launch the "Special Committee for Proper Medical Care (Special Committee)." Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
Earlier, on June 20th, a woman in her 20s, Ms. A, posted a video titled "Total surgery cost 9 million won, 120 hours like hell" on her YouTube channel, sparking controversy. In the video, Ms. A claimed that after her menstruation stopped in March, she was diagnosed at a hospital with polycystic ovary syndrome and irregular menstruation due to hormonal imbalance, but only realized she was pregnant at 36 weeks. As the video spread on online communities, criticism arose labeling it as "fetal murder." According to the Maternal and Child Health Act, abortion beyond 24 weeks of pregnancy is illegal; however, since the abortion crime under the Criminal Act has been abolished, there is no penalty. Consequently, the Ministry of Health and Welfare requested a police investigation (petition) into the YouTuber and the doctor who performed the surgery on charges of murder.
On the 12th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that they had booked the woman in her 20s, YouTuber Ms. A, who posted the problematic video, and the hospital where the surgery was performed on suspicion of murder. The YouTuber was confirmed to be a woman in her 20s residing in a provincial area, and the hospital was identified as being located in the metropolitan area. Additionally, since the hospital did not have closed-circuit television (CCTV) installed, the police are also reviewing whether there was a violation of the Medical Service Act. The fetus is reported to have died according to medical records.
With the content of Ms. A's video confirmed as factual, the Medical Association plans to refer the member who performed the abortion surgery to disciplinary review by the Central Ethics Committee through a resolution of the Standing Board of Directors on the same day. Dr. Im Hyun-taek, president of the Medical Association, wrote on his Facebook, calling it a "heinous act," and stated, "We will mobilize all possible means available to the Medical Association to strictly discipline the hospital director and petition for severe punishment during the judicial process."
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