Seo Young-hak, the Democratic Party candidate for mayor of Yeosu, called the Haedeun case—which has provoked public outrage—a collective failure of our community for having done nothing.
In a press release on the 15th, Seo said, \"No words can describe the pain Haedeun endured,\" and warned that the current system has no official channels for communities to detect abuse occurring inside homes.
He added that the longer child abuse goes undetected, the more likely the harm becomes irreversible. Early detection and swift intervention are essential.
Seo proposed establishing a Yeosu-style child safety network by strengthening links with medical providers; creating a municipal oversight system for infants not enrolled in daycare; and building a connection network that leverages delivery drivers and postal carriers as community observers.
He emphasized, \"I will put into practice here in Yeosu the child protection policies I helped design and implement at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and in the Presidential Office. I will ensure every child in Yeosu can grow up safely.\"
Last November in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, a 133-day-old infant known by the pseudonym Haedeun died in a baby bathtub. The mother, identified as A, has been arrested on charges including child-abuse homicide; the father, identified as B, faces charges including neglect and failure to protect the child. Both remain in custody and are awaiting trial.
Media coverage of the case prompted more than 80,000 petitions to the court demanding severe punishment.
The fourth hearing for the couple is scheduled to resume on the 26th at 3:30 p.m. in Courtroom 316 of the Suncheon branch of the Gwangju District Court.
