South Korean prosecutors have slapped a murder charge on a woman who abused her 16-month-old adopted child, amid rising public anger over the case which went on trial yesterday.
The woman, surnamed Jang, was indicted last month on charges of fatal child abuse and neglect.
Her adopted child, known as Jung-in, died on Oct 13 last year from severe abdominal injuries including a ruptured pancreas, after suffering months of extensive abuse.
The case triggered public outcry over the lack of protection for child abuse victims and led the country's police chief to apologise for failing to investigate the abuse before the child's death.
Prosecutors said in court yesterday morning that they added the murder charge after a discussion with forensic experts concluded that Jang had "applied a blunt force such as stepping on the victim's abdomen even though she knew that the victim could die from such a strong force after being abused continuously".
Jang pleaded not guilty, insisting that she "did not intentionally cause the victim's death".
She did, however, admit that she was so upset with her child for not eating that "I hit her stomach and back with her lying down".
She also admitted to fracturing the child's collarbone and right rib, and to "grabbing her by her arm, shaking her and dropping her".
"But I have never exercised strong blunt force enough to damage her organs," Jang claimed.
Yesterday's trial lasted 50 minutes. It will continue on Feb 17.
The prosecution is expected to call on 17 witnesses, including the forensic scientist who conducted Jung-in's autopsy and a neighbour who heard loud noises from Jang's apartment upstairs.
Following a TV programme which questioned why police reports on the abuse had not been followed up, a #sorryjungin campaign was started on social media.
Dozens of petitions were filed calling for tougher penalties for child abuse.
More than 800 people applied to watch the trial, but only 11 were allowed inside the courtroom due to social distancing rules. Another 40 watched a live broadcast in a separate room.
Dozens of people including members of the media, activists and YouTubers gathered outside the Seoul Southern District Court early yesterday morning, with some calling for Jang to be executed.
Jang's husband, surnamed Ahn, also appeared in court in a concurrent trial yesterday. He was indicted last month on charges of child abandonment and neglect.
Under mounting public pressure, Parliament passed 18 Bills aimed at preventing child abuse last Friday.
One major change was to remove a clause in the Civic Act that allows parents to "take necessary disciplinary action" to "protect or educate" a child. This will make it harder for parents to legally justify the need to physically punish their children, for instance, through caning or spanking.
Revisions were also made to laws regarding child abuse that will give the police the authority to immediately launch investigations into reports of suspected abuse. They will also be able to separate a child from his abusers for 72 hours while investigations are carried out.
Another revision increased the fine for obstructing child abuse investigations from a maximum of 15 million won (S$18,100) to 50 million won. Offenders can also be jailed for up to five years.
However, a Bill to double the jail sentence for child abusers from five to 10 years was not passed, with lawmakers saying this required further discussion.
