Chinese man charged for abandoning his son on Jeju Island
A shocking child abandonment incident in South Korea has led to a Chinese man in his 30s being charged with violating the nation’s Child Welfare Act. The man was arrested for allegedly abandoning his nine year old son on the popular tourist destination of Jeju Island in August. The Korea Times reported that the boy was left to fend for himself after his father deserted him.
The father and son duo had arrived on Jeju Island for a holiday on August 14 and initially stayed in a hotel for three days. Eventually, they found themselves sleeping outdoors due to a lack of funds, reported the Korea JoongAng Daily. The father confessed to abandoning his son while he was asleep in a public garden in the second-largest city on Jeju Island, Seogwipo City, on August 25.
When the boy woke up to find his father missing, he looked for him but to no avail. It wasn’t until local authorities in Seogwipo City discovered the boy that the police were alerted. They found an English note from the boy, handwritten by his father, it said, “I hope my child will live well in Korea.”
However, it was only a day after the boy’s abandoning on Jeju Island that his father was apprehended. The police used closed-circuit television footage to track down the suspect. Meanwhile, the boy was taken to a child protection centre on the island. He has since been returned to his family in China, reported KhaoSod.
Cases of child abandonment have become distressingly common. In a recent incident, a 12 year old girl in Isaan suffered physical abuse from her stepfather and was subsequently left abandoned on the roadside. Fortunately, a compassionate resident extended a helping hand, ensuring the girl’s safety and reuniting her with her aunt
In another shocking event, a newborn baby boy was discovered abandoned and crying near the entrance of a BTS skytrain station in Bangkok.
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