Over 100 condolence wreaths surround the courthouse
Parents gather in Suncheon in voluntary solidarity
A call for the judiciary to bear a heavy responsibility

"Haedeun, may you now only feel the warm spring breeze in a place free from pain. The adults have gathered here to seek justice for your suffering until the very end."


Parents from across the country gathered once again under the sky of Suncheon to ensure that the final journey of the baby angel Haedeun, who lived only 133 days after being born, would end with justice. Ahead of the first trial verdict for the 'Haedeun case' held at the Suncheon Branch of the Gwangju District Court at 2 p.m. on the 23rd, the atmosphere in front of the courthouse was filled with a solemn air, heavy with both profound sadness and a cold sense of anger.


On the afternoon of the 23rd, ahead of the first trial verdict for the so-called "Haedeun case," in which the child passed away just 133 days after birth due to child abuse, condolence wreaths commemorating Haedeun, who died from abuse by his biological parents, were placed in front of the Suncheon Branch of the Gwangju District Court. Photo by Min Hyunki

On the afternoon of the 23rd, ahead of the first trial verdict for the so-called "Haedeun case," in which the child passed away just 133 days after birth due to child abuse, condolence wreaths commemorating Haedeun, who died from abuse by his biological parents, were placed in front of the Suncheon Branch of the Gwangju District Court. Photo by Min Hyunki

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"If you saw but did not stop it, you are complicit in murder" ... Outrage from parents gathered nationwide

On the afternoon of the 23rd, when the first trial verdict was delivered in the 'Haedeun case', in which a four-month-old infant who could neither walk nor speak ended their life in a cold bathtub, the area in front of the Suncheon branch of the Gwangju District Court in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, was filled with the earnest voices of citizens who had gathered voluntarily from all over the country. These were not activists affiliated with any particular organization but ordinary mothers and fathers who had come together through an open chat room titled "Haedeun, We Love and Remember You."


More than 100 condolence wreaths were lined up along the entrance and outer wall of the court, with messages such as "Sentence the inhumane perpetrator parents to death" and "Sorry we couldn't protect you, baby angel Haedeun" written clearly on them. Citizens began gathering an hour before the sentencing trial to read statements and hold a memorial service.


A couple in their 20s who had traveled from Busan that morning looked at the courthouse with reddened eyes. They said, "When we think about the pain that a baby the same age as our own child must have suffered, we simply couldn't stay at home," adding, "We took time off work and came all the way to Suncheon because we wanted to see the outcome of the trial through to the end."

"Charge with murder, not neglect" ... Outrage grows after home camera footage is released

The core message of the statement released that day was the need to characterize the incident as "complicity in murder," not just "neglect." Citizens insisted, "If the biological father was aware of his wife's abuse and yet condoned it, that is not mere neglect but no different from being an accomplice who witnessed the process of murder."


The recent release of home camera footage in the media, which revealed the cruelty of the situation, further fueled public anger. In the video, the child was suffering from ongoing abuse and neglect, and the parents’ attitudes were shockingly indifferent. After the footage was released, petitions demanding severe punishment for the perpetrator parents flooded online, sending a powerful message to the judiciary.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, ahead of the first trial sentencing in the so-called 'Haedeun Case,' where the child died 133 days after birth due to child abuse, a rally demanding severe punishment for the biological parents who were the perpetrators was held in front of the Suncheon Branch of Gwangju District Court. Photo by Min Hyunki

On the afternoon of the 23rd, ahead of the first trial sentencing in the so-called 'Haedeun Case,' where the child died 133 days after birth due to child abuse, a rally demanding severe punishment for the biological parents who were the perpetrators was held in front of the Suncheon Branch of Gwangju District Court. Photo by Min Hyunki

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"A society that failed to protect the child must answer with its verdict"

The 'Haedeun case' occurred in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, in October last year. Initially, the parents claimed it was a simple accident, but the autopsy revealed multiple fractures and severe trauma on the child's body, exposing the brutal reality of the abuse. The biological mother, identified as A, was indicted and detained on charges of child abuse and murder, while the biological father, identified as B, was indicted and detained on charges of child abuse by neglect and witness intimidation.


A large number of ordinary citizens also attended the trial, reflecting the intense public interest in the case. Citizens staged a silent protest toward the perpetrators as they entered the courtroom, demanding a "just verdict." One attendee expressed their anger, saying, "After seeing the video, I couldn't sleep for days. I will watch to the end to see if those who committed something no human should do are properly judged by the law."



Citizens gathered in front of the courthouse not only called for severe punishment for the perpetrators but also demanded a fundamental overhaul of the child protection system. They said, "Haedeun is a child our society failed to protect. The weight of the court's verdict will reflect how much our society values the lives of children," urging the judiciary to make a decisive ruling.


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

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