Case summary

In Cheongju, a 31-year-old woman (A) was convicted for child abandonment and neglect under the Child Welfare Act.

On 30 July last year, her husband (C) was taken into custody to serve a sentence at a workhouse facility.

Feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of raising their two young sons alone, A dropped both children off at a daycare center the next morning (31 July, around 8:40 a.m.) and then never returned home.

From 31 July to 20 October (about 3 months), A travelled from motel to motel in cities such as Cheongju, Seosan, Cheonan, and Daejeon with a 32-year-old man (B), effectively leaving the children at the daycare without parental care.

During this period, B helped her evade authorities:

He provided food, lodging and other basic living support to A from 31 July to 11 September.

When police contacted him asking about A’s whereabouts, he lied and claimed not to know, helping her remain in hiding for about 40 days.


The Cheongju District Court, Criminal Division 2 (Judge Shin Yoon-ju) sentenced:

A: 1 year in prison, 40 hours of child-abuse treatment program, and a 3-year employment ban from institutions involving children.

B: 3 million KRW fine for the offence of harboring a criminal.


The court stated that A’s abandonment and neglect of two children who desperately needed parental protection placed their lives and bodies at risk, making her culpability “very serious.”

However, the court also considered mitigating factors:

A has a Level-2 intellectual disability (roughly corresponding to significantly limited intellectual and social functioning).

She is a first-time offender.


Balancing the need to protect vulnerable children with A’s reduced capacity and disability, the court imposed a custodial sentence but did not go beyond 1 year, and added rehabilitation-oriented measures (treatment program, child-related employment restriction).

Article: https://www.news1.kr/local/sejong-chungbuk/5976544