'Stillbirth' Recorded in Medical Records
Investigation Hampered Due to Lack of Operating Room CCTV
The hospital director in his 70s, who performed an abortion surgery on a pregnant woman at 36 weeks and is accused of fetal homicide, reportedly claimed that he "removed a stillborn baby" during the surgery.
On the 16th, A (78), the director of an obstetrics and gynecology hospital in the metropolitan area, told Kukmin Ilbo, "When I removed the baby from the mother during the surgery, the baby was already stillborn." However, he said, "I am currently under police investigation, so it is difficult to comment in detail," and did not provide a detailed explanation about the fetus's condition at the time of surgery. The hospital's medical records showed that the 36-week fetus was stillborn, as A claimed. However, it is difficult to clearly determine from the medical records alone whether the fetus died before the abortion surgery or lost its life due to the abortion surgery. Additionally, since there is no closed-circuit television (CCTV) installed in the hospital's operating room, it is not easy for the police to collect evidence to understand the situation during the surgery.
Usually, a fetus at 36 weeks can survive after being separated from the mother. If the medical staff intentionally caused the fetus to die after removing it from the mother, they could be charged with murder. However, A, who performed the abortion surgery, strongly denies such allegations. If the medical staff involved in the surgery make the same claim as A, the police must present objective evidence to refute it in order to prove the charges.
Earlier, the police conducted a search and seizure of the hospital at the end of last month and the beginning of this month. The hospital is known to have continued providing medical care even after the search and seizure. A graduated from a prestigious medical school in Seoul and has operated an obstetrics and gynecology clinic for decades after obtaining a specialist qualification in obstetrics and gynecology. He is a full member of the Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology and also serves as an adjunct professor at the university from which he graduated.
Meanwhile, the controversy over the "36-week abortion" began when a woman in her 20s, B, uploaded a video titled "Total surgery cost 9 million won, 120 hours like hell" on her YouTube channel on June 20. In the video, B claimed that after her menstruation stopped in March, she was diagnosed at a hospital with polycystic ovary syndrome and hormonal imbalance causing irregular menstruation, and only realized she was pregnant at 36 weeks.
As the video spread on online communities and criticism of "fetal homicide" grew, the Ministry of Health and Welfare requested the police to investigate the YouTuber and the doctor who performed the surgery for murder. On the 12th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that they had identified the woman in her 20s, YouTuber B, who posted the video, and the hospital where the surgery was performed, and had booked them on suspicion of murder. B has been questioned by the police twice so far and admitted to the abortion. She stated that she found the hospital for the surgery through an acquaintance, and the police plan to investigate that acquaintance as well.
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