Next Week's Second Trial of the Jeong-in Case... Can the Adoptive Parents Face Severe Punishment in the First Trial?

Second Trial Session from 10 AM on the 17th
Prosecution Plans to Prove Charges by Summoning Some Witnesses

On the 11th, two days before the first trial of the Jeong-in case, who died after 16 months due to abuse by adoptive parents, condolence wreaths were placed in front of the fence of the Seoul Yangcheon District Southern District Prosecutors' Office. These were sent by members of the Korea Child Abuse Prevention Association, urging the application of murder charges against the adoptive mother and commemorating Jeong-in. From 8 a.m. on that day until 1 p.m. on the 15th, 70 condolence wreaths and 50 pinwheels will be installed along the fence of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The adoptive mother, Jang, accused of abusing and causing the death of 16-month-old adopted daughter Jeong-in, will stand trial again.

The Criminal Division 13 of the Seoul Southern District Court (Chief Judge Shin Hyuk-jae) will hold the second hearing for Jang, who is charged with violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes (child abuse resulting in death), on the 17th at 10 a.m. The prosecution plans to call some witnesses that day to prove Jang’s charges.

At the first trial held on the 13th of last month, the prosecution added a murder charge against Jang. Based on the re-examination results by forensic experts, the investigation team and leadership decided after long discussions the day before to designate the murder charge as the "principal charge" and the child abuse resulting in death charge as the "subsidiary charge."

Regarding the request to change the indictment, the prosecution pointed out, "Although the defendant was aware that due to continuous abuse the victim’s physical condition was poor and that strong force should not be applied to the abdomen, she violently shook the victim for reasons such as not eating and stomped on the victim’s abdomen with her foot, causing the victim’s death due to pancreatic rupture and intra-abdominal hemorrhage."

In response, the adoptive parents said, "We deeply regret it but had no intention of child abuse," and denied most of the charges, stating, "We never applied force strong enough to rupture the child’s pancreas." However, they admitted to some charges related to injuries such as fractures.

Jang was arrested and indicted on charges of repeatedly assaulting and abusing her adopted daughter Jeong-in from June to October last year, and delivering a strong blow to her back and other areas on October 13 of the same year, causing her death. She is also charged with emotionally abusing Jeong-in by leaving her alone at home or in a car 15 times from March to October last year, or forcefully pushing the stroller against the elevator wall.

Meanwhile, the Korea Child Abuse Prevention Association announced that on the day of the second hearing for the adoptive parents, they plan to launch a real-time search word challenge with the phrase "Jeong-in, I love you." Additionally, starting from the 15th, two days before the trial, they will set up 100 condolence wreaths in front of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office and the Seoul Southern District Court.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.