Four Medical Staff Including Anesthesiologist in '36-Week Abortion' Case Added to Investigation for Aiding Murder...

Investigation of Anesthesiologists and Two Assistant Medical Staff on the 21st and 22nd

The police have additionally booked four medical personnel, including one anesthesiologist and three assistant medical staff, who participated in a '36-week pregnancy termination (abortion)' surgery, on charges of aiding and abetting murder. The hospital director was also charged with violating medical law based on the absence of CCTV in the operating room.

On the 23rd, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Criminal Mobile Unit held a briefing at the Metropolitan Investigation Division office in Mapo-gu, Seoul, stating, "In addition to the already booked chief surgeon (director), one anesthesiologist and three assistant medical staff have been additionally booked." The anesthesiologist is not employed by the hospital in question but was investigated as someone who specializes solely in anesthesia while working at several hospitals in the area. The total number of people booked has increased to six, including the hospital director who performed the surgery and a woman in her 20s who posted the video on YouTube.

A police official said, "We investigated the anesthesiologist and two assistant medical staff over two days, on the 21st and 22nd. During this process, basic facts were confirmed, and mobile phones were also seized," adding, "During the analysis of the seized items, these individuals may be called in for further investigation."

Meanwhile, police investigations revealed that the stillbirth and cremation certificates, which had been suspected of being fabricated, were genuine. The reason for stillbirth on the certificate was marked as 'natural stillbirth induced abortion.' However, the police explained that this only indicates that a doctor authorized to issue such documents actually prepared and issued them, and whether the fetus was indeed stillborn and cremated must be determined through further investigation.

A police official stated, "What has been confirmed so far is only that a doctor with the authority to prepare such documents actually did so and issued them," adding, "Other factual matters must be uncovered through subsequent investigations."

Earlier, at the end of June, controversy arose after a woman posted a video on her YouTube channel stating that she underwent an abortion surgery at 36 weeks of pregnancy. Since the constitutional court's ruling in April 2019 declared the abortion provisions in the criminal law unconstitutional, abortion itself is not illegal; however, if medical personnel caused the death of the baby after removing it from the mother's body, they could be charged with murder.