Mother accused of promising brain hemorrhage in exchange for son's job and 100 million won, fined in first trial

A woman in her 50s, who was prosecuted on charges of promising to donate her liver in exchange for securing a job for her son, was sentenced to a fine of 3 million won in the first trial on the morning of the 20th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A woman in her 50s was sentenced to a fine in the first trial on charges of promising to donate her liver in exchange for securing a job for her son. ▶Refer to Asia Economy’s November 8 article '[Seocho-dong Legal Story] "Son’s Employment and 100 Million Won"... Mother Promised Liver Donation to Construction Company Chairman'

On the morning of the 20th, the Criminal Division 25-1 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Park Jeonggil) sentenced A (52, female), who was indicted for violating the Organ Transplant Act, to a fine of 3 million won. The court stated, "The defendant admitted and reflected on the crime, and no actual monetary transaction took place during the process. Considering the minor degree of involvement and that this is a first offense."

Earlier, A was prosecuted on charges of receiving promises of 'her son’s employment' and '100 million won in cash' in exchange for donating her liver to the chairman of a domestic construction company. Current laws including the Organ Transplant Act prohibit promising or giving organs to others in exchange for compensation, as well as instigating, mediating, or aiding such acts.

According to the prosecution, the construction company chairman asked B (53, male) and C (53, male), who were employees and childhood friends from the neighborhood, to "find someone willing to donate a liver, and payment will be made" for his father, the chairman. In February, A overheard a phone call from an acquaintance who was B’s sister-in-law while in a taxi and learned about the matter, then inquired whether she could be a donor herself.

On March 7, following B’s guidance, A pretended to be the chairman’s daughter-in-law at a hospital in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Since a non-relative donating an organ must prove there is no organ trafficking involved, A underwent tests to confirm suitability and received approval for organ transplant recipient selection from the National Organ, Tissue, and Blood Management Service.

She was admitted to the hospital for the transplant surgery on March 30, but the schedule was postponed after testing positive for COVID-19 the next day. During this process, the fact that she was impersonating the daughter-in-law was discovered by the hospital staff, resulting in the surgery being canceled. The chairman passed away several months later.

In court, A tearfully said, "I heard separately from B over the phone that 'if everything goes well, your wishes will be granted.' My son, who works for an airline, was working from home due to COVID-19, and as a mother who didn’t know the law, I was greedy. I am truly sorry." She also emphasized, "After the failed surgery and hospital visit, I did not demand even 10 won."

Meanwhile, B was also prosecuted for promising the chairman to receive a total of 150 million won, including money to be given to A, and C was indicted for aiding organ trafficking by assisting A’s hospitalization process and advising on the surgery procedure. B claimed, "I was only involved in the transplant to save the chairman, whom I treated like my own father, and never promised financial gain," but the court rejected this and sentenced him to one year in prison. C, who admitted to the charges, was sentenced to six months in prison with a two-year probation.

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