Jail term sought for man who gave baby away in illegal online adoption

The South Korean prosecutors said Wednesday they recently requested a two-year prison term for a man in his 30s for giving up his baby for adoption to someone he met online.

In a hearing at the Daejeon District Court, the prosecution sought a jail term and a five-year restriction on the suspect's employment at any institutes related to children. They charged the suspect with violating Article 17 of the Child Welfare Act, which prohibits abandoning or neglecting a child.

Last year, the suspect sent his child away for an illegal adoption without registering the child's birth to the authorities. He and his wife sought out a potential adopter online, and they are unaware of the name, age or contact information of the woman who took their child.

The authorities have been unable to track down the adopter, and the baby's whereabouts remain unknown.

The suspect admitted all charges and said he has no excuse, but asked that the court consider the fact that he is in deep remorse. "I'm ashamed of not looking for the child, thinking the baby would be alive and well for all this time. After the trial, I'll try to find the baby," he said in the final statement.