A woman in her 40s who captured a wild crow and kept it at home for about a week has received a suspended sentence of a fine.

Judge Lee Yong-hee of Criminal Division 6 at the Uijeongbu District Court sentenced the woman, identified as A, to a suspended fine of 700,000 won on charges of violating the Wildlife Protection and Management Act.

A suspended sentence is a system where guilt is recognized, but the punishment is withheld in consideration of extenuating circumstances. If the offender commits no other crimes for two years, the punishment is exempted.

A was put on trial for capturing a crow at a park near the Gagum Railway Bridge in Nogyang-dong, Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, in early June of last year and keeping it at her residence.

The case came to light after a civil complaint regarding A raising a crow was filed through e-People, a government portal.

Police found that A discovered a baby crow near the railway bridge, took it home, and kept it in a box and a cage.

During police questioning, A stated, "I found a baby crow on my way back from hiking, and I took it home because I felt sorry for it. I raised it for about a week and then put it back where I first found it."

The court stated the reasons for its sentencing, saying, "The defendant is remorseful and is a first-time offender, and there are extenuating circumstances as the crime was committed without knowing the relevant laws."

The Wildlife Protection Act prohibits the unauthorized capture, collection, or killing of wild organisms designated by Ministry of Environment Ordinance, even if they are not endangered species.

Although crows are not an endangered species, they are classified under the Wildlife Protection Act as wild animals whose capture and collection are prohibited.

Reported by Sim Yeong-gu | Edited by Na Hong-hee | Designed by Lee Jung-joo | Produced by SBS Digital News