SEOUL: A nine-year-old Chinese national, who was presumably on holiday with his father on Jeju Island, was unexpectedly abandoned by his father in August.
The father, in his 30s, has been charged with violating the Child Welfare Act, reported The Korea Times on Friday, citing the Jeju District Prosecutors’ Office.
On Aug 14, the father and son arrived at the island with a tourist visa, reported The Korea Times.
Both father and son are not named in local media reports.
They stayed at a hotel on the island for three days, said Korea JoongAng Daily. However, after they ran out of money, the duo slept outdoors, added the report.
On Aug 25, the father is said to have left the boy, who was sleeping, in a park in Seogwipo, the second-largest city on Jeju Island.
The boy later woke up and tried to look for his father, reported The Korea Times. A Seogwipo City official found the boy in the park and alerted the police, added the report.
The boy’s father had left a note on the boy in English that read: “I hope that my child will live in a good facility in Korea.”
The man was arrested the following day, after authorities used CCTV footage to locate him.
The boy was later placed in a child protection facility in the island, said Korea JoongAng Daily. On Saturday, he returned to China and has been reunited with his relatives, added the report. - The Straits Times/ANN
