A hospital director who performed the surgery was also investigated together
A controversial YouTube video related to ’36-week abortion.’ Currently deleted. Photo from YouTube screenshot.
The police have investigated a woman who uploaded a vlog (daily video) containing content about undergoing an artificial abortion at 36 weeks of pregnancy. The director of a obstetrics and gynecology hospital in the Seoul metropolitan area who performed the surgery was also investigated.
A police official at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said during a regular press briefing on the 12th, “The investigation team identified the YouTuber and the hospital through analyzing the YouTube video itself and cooperation with related agencies.” The YouTuber and the hospital director were both designated as suspects after a search and seizure operation on them at the end of last month.
According to the police, the YouTuber is confirmed to be a woman in her 20s, identified as A, living in a province. A caused controversy by publicly revealing the fact of her abortion, as legislative measures following the Constitutional Court’s decision on the unconstitutionality of the abortion law have not been implemented.
Given that being 36 weeks pregnant is virtually full term, this can also be viewed as ‘infanticide.’ The police also stated that this case is different from ordinary abortion cases and declared their intention to conduct a thorough investigation into the YouTuber.
A has undergone police questioning twice so far and admitted to the termination of her pregnancy. The surgery was performed at a hospital in the Seoul metropolitan area, and it was reported that A visited the hospital through the internet with the help of an acquaintance.
Officials mention that through the hospital search and seizure, it was confirmed that the fetus is no longer alive, as indicated in the hospital medical records.
However, if the fetus exited the uterus alive before the abortion took place, the charge of murder may be applicable. Therefore, the police plan to closely examine the circumstances of the fetus’s death.
The police stated that there are no closed-circuit TVs within the hospital and that they will comprehensively consider testimonies of the individuals involved, evidence, and opinions of experts while conducting the investigation.