The government announced its intention to introduce a "birth notification system" that would mandate medical institutions to report births, following an infanticide case in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.

The move came after the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) reported that over 2,000 Korean infants had not been registered since 2015. 

On Thursday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said it would conduct a full investigation into unreported births and push for a birth notification system.

Earlier, police sought an arrest warrant for a mother in her 30s living in Suwon, accusing her of killing her two newborns and storing their bodies in a refrigerator at home. The two babies had no birth registration despite birth records. 

The health and welfare ministry said the birth registration system, which obliges medical institutions to report births, would be a fundamental solution. 

However, the medical community is opposing it, saying the government is attempting to evade blame and shift the responsibility onto hospitals.

In March, the government submitted a bill to the National Assembly to amend the Family Relations Registration Act to oblige medical institutions to notify all children born in medical institutions to the government.

The government is also pushing for the introduction of a protected childbirth system that would allow women to give birth anonymously.

In addition, in consultation with relevant organizations such as the National Police Agency, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), and local governments, the ministry plans to conduct a nationwide investigation to confirm the whereabouts and safety of unreported children who only have temporary newborn numbers issued by medical institutions.

For the investigation, local governments will contact guardians to check the status of children and take necessary measures in cooperation with relevant organizations including the police if their safety is not confirmed.