How Could You? Hall of Shame-Korea-Jung-in case-Child Death UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Seoul, Korea,”children’s rights activists on Thursday urged the health ministry to look into the role, if any, of a major adoption agency in the death of a 16-month-old adoptee.

At a press conference near Cheong Wa Dae, the activists, including those who advocated for the rights of adoptees and single-parent households, urged the ministry to check whether there were any lapses in the agency’s work to protect the child.

They also demanded Holt Children’s Services, the country’s biggest adoption agency, reveal the detailed circumstances of the adoption of the dead girl, named Jung-in, and the parents’ motives in adopting her.

“The government should find out whether Holt had detected signs of abuse even before it was informed of the abuse … and how the agency responded to each of the three abuse reports,” it said.

Jung-in was adopted in February and died in October of severe abdominal injuries and internal bleeding that were caused by “strong external force applied on her back.” Her adoptive mother insisted the baby sustained the injuries because she accidentally dropped her.

An investigative report aired over the weekend has become a catalyst for a renewed focus on her case and how no one proactively intervened to prevent the tragedy despite a series of glaring warning signs.

Amid mounting criticism and pressure, the agency issued an apology in a statement the previous day. But it denied that it was careless and neglectful in dealing with Jung-in’s case. It also argued that there was no fault in the adoption process.

In 2014, the health ministry conducted a probe into the agency and concluded that it failed to sufficiently check on the well-being of adopted children in some cases.

On Wednesday, Commissioner General Kim Chang-yong, the country’s police chief, apologized for “failing to protect the life of a young abused victim.” The head of the Seoul Yangcheon Police Office, which has jurisdiction over the case, was removed from his post to take responsibility for the mismanagement.”

Adoption agency takes heat after death of 16-month-old adoptee

[Korea Times 1/7/21 by Yonhap]

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Update:“She was a cheerful baby bouncing with energy, her chubby cheeks earning her the nickname “Little Peach”.

Although given up at birth for adoption, the little girl named Jung-in blossomed under the loving care of foster parents.

When she was seven months old, a so-called “perfect family” came along to adopt her.

The couple in their 30s were known to be devout Christians who wanted a younger sibling for their four-year-old daughter.

The husband, surnamed Ahn, worked in a broadcasting company, while the wife, surnamed Jang, was an interpreter who had studied overseas.

Both of them had helped Korean adoptees before and they even went on a television show with both children, saying “adoption is not a shame but something to be celebrated”.

What was supposed to be the beginning of a happy life for Jung-in, however, turned into a nightmare.

She was just 16 months old when she died on Oct 13 last year,[2020] her pancreas ruptured and her stomach bloated with blood, after months of extensive abuse by her adoptive mother, who has been arrested and will go on trial on Wednesday.

The brutality of Jung-in’s death caused a national uproar, with celebrities including BTS member Jimin joining a #SorryJungin campaign on social media to mourn and vent against child abuse.

Actress Han Hye-jin wrote on Instagram that she was so upset that she could not sleep. “What was done to Jung-in was cruel, vicious and horrific. How could they do this?” she posted.

Child abuse has long been a problem in South Korea, where abusive parents consider their children as their “property”, and feel they can do anything to them, including being violent and neglectful. If questioned, they are known to retort “this is my way of raising my child”.

Official data showed that there were 41,389 reported cases of child abuse in 2019 – up from 29,671 in 2016. Experts believe there could be a lot more unreported incidents, which are considered family matters and not police cases.

A major case seems to emerge every few years, shocking the nation and triggering protests and demands for stiffer penalties for child abuse.

Two gaming addicts were arrested in 2010 for neglecting their three-month-old baby and leaving her to starve to death, while they were out playing online games in Internet cafes.

A man was found to have beaten his seven-year-old son to death and dismembered his body for disposal. Some parts were flushed down the toilet, some thrown in the trash, and some still stored in the home freezer when the truth came to light three years later in 2015.

Activists have lambasted the government’s inability to protect children from violence despite repeated promises to do so, noting that Bills related to child abuse are still languishing in Parliament.

And now, there is the sad case of Jung-in, which has sparked calls for stricter screening for adoption and more proactive police reaction to reports of suspected abuse.

It turned out that three separate reports had been made about Jung-in, including one by a paediatrician who had examined her bruises, but the police did not investigate further.

When a childcare worker first reported suspected abuse to the police, the parents claimed they had probably massaged the girl too hard, resulting in bruising.

It was only after Jung-in’s death that the police found 800 abuse videos on her adoptive mother’s phone. She will be charged over involuntary manslaughter by child abuse, and her husband, child abuse and negligence.””

South Korean toddler’s death sparks call for stiffer penalties for abuse

[The Strait Times 1/10/21 By Chang May Choon]