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South Korea (CNN) - Seoul police began an investigation after a doctor miscarried.
On August 7, a 6-week-old pregnant patient had gone to a clinic in Gangseo District, in the capital of South Korea, according to local police. In the clinic, confusion in medical records and lack of verification of their identity led to abortion by mistake.
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The doctor and nurse in charge are under investigation and the case will soon be sent to the prosecutor's office, police told CNN.
"The doctor and the nurse have acknowledged their fault," said a police officer. They are now charged with negligence resulting in personal injury.
According to the South Korean news agency Yonhap, the patient was supposed to receive a nutritional injection at the clinic. Allegedly, the nurse injected anesthesia without confirming his identity and the doctor also performed the abortion without verifying his identity, Yonhap reported. The patient had no knowledge of the procedure.
Police announced the investigation on Monday, Yonhap said.
South Korea decided to legalize abortion in April of this year and the country's constitutional court ruled that lawmakers should review existing laws before December 31, 2020.
However, under existing laws, the practice remains illegal and is technically punishable for up to one year in prison. Exceptions are granted in cases where the parents have inherited diseases, the pregnancy is due to a violation or incest or there is a risk to the mother's life.
It is estimated that 50,000 abortions were performed in South Korea last year, according to the country's Ministry of Health. The real numbers can be much higher since the criminalization of the practice distorted its report.
Abortion
