South Korean father sentenced to 7 years for infant suffocation

A 29‑year‑old father in Suwon, South Korea, was sentenced to seven years in prison for killing his 10‑month‑old son by inserting a piece of clothing into the infant’s mouth. The court ruled that the act constituted child‑abuse homicide, describing the father’s conduct as “near‑negligent intent to kill.”

The Gwangju High Court’s Jeonju Division upheld the original trial court’s judgment, rejecting the father’s appeal and confirming the seven‑year term. Judges noted that the father claimed the act was not pre‑meditated, but the evidence showed that the child was left unattended and died of suffocation after about 11 hours.

The sentencing follows South Korea’s strict penalties under the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse and Neglect, emphasizing the gravity of crimes that result in a child’s death.