Woman who took in baby crow 'out of pity' receives suspended fine

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

The Uijeongbu District Court's Criminal Division 6, presided over by Judge Lee Yong-hui, suspended the sentencing of a fine of 700,000 won ($486) against the woman, identified only as A, who was indicted on charges of violating the Wildlife Protection and Management Act.

A suspended sentence under Korean law means guilt has been established but actual sentencing is deferred in consideration of mitigating circumstances. If the defendant commits no further offense within two years, the punishment is waived entirely.

A was charged after she captured a crow at a park beneath the Nogyang Railroad Bridge in Uijeongbu's Nogyang-dong in early June last year and kept it at her home.

The case came to light after a complaint was filed with Uijeongbu city through the government's public petition portal, reporting that someone was keeping a crow at a residence.

Police found that A had discovered a baby crow alone near the bridge and placed it in a box and a cage to care for it.

A told police she had found the baby crow on her way back from a hike and brought it home out of pity. She said she kept it for about a week before returning it to the spot where she had first found it.

The court said it took into account that the defendant showed remorse, had no prior criminal record and had acted without knowledge of the relevant law — circumstances the court found worthy of consideration.

The Wildlife Protection and Management Act prohibits the capture or keeping of wild animals designated by Ministry of Environment ordinance without a permit, even if the species is not endangered. Crows are not classified as endangered but fall under the category of wildlife that may not be arbitrarily captured or kept under the law.