South Korean actress reveals pregnancy via IVF without ex-husband’s consent
Lee Si-young and her then-husband Cho Seong-hyun went through an IVF, but Lee’s frozen embryo was not implanted during their marriage
A decision by South Korean actress Lee Si-young to become pregnant with her second child via in vitro fertilisation (IVF) without the formal consent of her former husband has sparked a debate on reproductive rights and parental responsibility in such a scenario.
Lee married restaurateur Cho Seong-hyun in 2017 and they had their first son the next year. While married, the couple reportedly underwent IVF in preparation for a second child, but they did not follow through with embryo implantation.
Cho, who divorced Lee in March this year, has not given consent to his ex-wife’s embryo being implanted.
On Tuesday, Lee shared news of her pregnancy on social media, saying that as the five-year storage period for her frozen embryo was almost over, she chose to have it implanted.
“My ex-husband did not agree, but I have decided to bear the full weight of this decision. I could not bring myself to discard the embryo that was nearing the end of its storage period. My life as a mother has always been my greatest source of strength,” the 43-year-old actress wrote.
Cho told local media that he was initially against his ex-wife’s decision as they were divorced, but said he would bear his responsibilities as a father given Lee’s pregnancy.
“We have been communicating frequently due to our first child. We will do our best to fulfil our respective roles by discussing the necessary aspects of giving birth and raising a second child,” Cho said.
The decision could result in legal issues surrounding the child’s paternity, said Lee Hyun-gon, a lawyer who served as a judge at the Seoul Family Court.
“If the child is born, the child would not be considered born during a marriage and so paternity must be legally established through a recognition process,” he wrote on social media on Tuesday, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.
“The biological father could voluntarily recognise the child, or [the mother] could file a paternity suit. Once recognition is made, the legal father-child relationship is established.”
Public reaction has been divided, with some praising Lee’s courage to go through with the IVF and raise her second child and others highlighting ethical and legal concerns over her decision not to seek Cho’s prior consent on the matter.
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Lee made her acting debut in 2008 and is best known for her roles in the Korean drama Boys Over Flowers and the Netflix series Sweet Home.
