249 people have been confirmed dead. South Korea has found more than 2100 "ghost babies" with registered residence | ghost | babies
The Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea said on the 18th that there were more than 2100 "ghost babies" without registered residence in South Korea, of which 249 were confirmed dead, accounting for nearly 12%. After the media exposed the "Suwon Freezer Infant Death Case" last month, the South Korean government launched a nationwide investigation.
The so-called "ghost baby" refers to the baby who has a birth record in the hospital but has no registered residence registration, also known as "no household baby". A survey by the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare found that there were a total of 2123 "ghost babies" born between 2015 and 2022, of which 1025 were confirmed to have survived and 249 died.
The South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare said that the police are investigating 814 cases of "ghost babies", of which 7 cases are suspected of illegal activities and have been transferred to the prosecution for processing. The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that it will revise relevant regulations and regularly screen "ghost babies" to protect their safety and health.
The Suwon Freezer Infant Death Case has caused public shock in South Korea. The police reported last month that the suspect in the case, a woman in her thirties from Suwon City, has been arrested. She gave birth to a baby girl and a baby boy in November 2018 and November 2019, respectively. The day after giving birth, she killed the baby and hid it in the freezer at home for several years. According to the suspect, she killed the baby due to economic difficulties and falsely claimed an abortion to her husband.
As the investigation of "ghost babies" deepens, more cases of abuse and intentional killing of babies have surfaced. South Korean police reported on the 14th that a woman in Gwangju City is charged with murder on suspicion of killing a 6-day-old baby. She initially falsely claimed to have discarded the deceased baby, but later admitted to intentionally suffocating the baby and putting the body in a garbage bag.
After similar cases were exposed one after another, the demand for severe punishment of crimes involving infants in South Korean society has become increasingly high. On the 18th, the South Korean National Assembly voted to pass an amendment to the Criminal Law, increasing the punishment for those who kill or abandon infants, with the maximum penalty being the death penalty. This is the first time in 70 years that South Korea has amended relevant laws, and the amendment will be officially implemented in 6 months.