The presiding judge of the appellate court, who reduced the sentence for the biological mother in the child abuse and murder case of "Haedun" that sparked widespread public outrage, revealed her deep deliberation by citing a classical philosophical text.

During the appellate sentencing hearing on the 25th, Presiding Judge Hwang Jin-hee of Criminal Division 2 at the Gwangju High Court overturned the lower court's sentence of life imprisonment for the defendant, identified as A, and sentenced her to 35 years in prison, while reading a passage from a book titled "Ruling Oneself Until Death."

This book reinterprets "Meditations," written 2,000 years ago by Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and philosopher.

Aurelius, who presented the human trait of loving and embracing even those who commit wrongdoings as a sublime philosophical ideal, placed the purpose of punishment not on revenge or permanent isolation, but on "rehabilitation" — awakening ignorant human beings and reintegrating them into the community.

Revealing that she is also a mother of two children, Judge Hwang stated, "While reviewing the petitions submitted from across the country, I pondered deeply on severe punishment. I cite the contents of this book with the mindset of persuading myself and persuading the public."

She then read aloud a passage stating, "The reason people commit crimes is because they cannot distinguish between good and evil, and punishment should serve as a means to help them realize their wrongdoing and return as members of the community."

Spectators watching the trial shed tears and sighed.

After the trial concluded, the spectators composed themselves for about 10 minutes at the courtroom exit before protesting, calling it "a verdict that can neither be sympathized with nor understood."

Having formed the "Free Haedun Citizens' Group" to commemorate the victimized child and petition for a strict punishment for A, they added, "Our activities were not reflected in the trial at all. The sense of futility leaves us in profound shock."

They criticized the ruling, saying, "The judge mentioned reform and rehabilitation, but in our country, the younger and more voiceless the victim of abuse is, the lighter the sentence tends to be for the perpetrator. The Haedun case should have set a new standard."

The prosecution plans to decide whether to appeal after reviewing the details of the ruling.

Defendant A was indicted on charges of indiscriminately assaulting her 4-month-old son Haedun (a pseudonym) at her home in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, at 11:43 a.m. on October 22 of last year, and leaving him unattended in a bathtub with the water running, causing him to die from multiple fractures and hemorrhaging.

This case sparked national outrage last March after SBS's "Unanswered Questions" partially released home-cam footage capturing parts of the abuse, leading it to be known as the "Haedun Case."

(Photo: Yonhap News)