A French national who tried to abandon his 2-year-old toddler son was arrested on Monday on charges of violation of the children’s welfare law, according to the Incheon Seobu Police.

The 39-year-old is being accused of leaving the boy at a bench in a park in Seo-gu, Incheon-si on June 2 at 4:30 p.m. 

According to the police, the man had met the Korean mother of his son in France through an online chatting platform. They had maintained a three year de facto marriage during which time the woman gave birth to the boy.

The couple ended their relationship in 2015, after which the woman returned to Korea.

The man told the police that he had brought the boy to Korea on June 1 to hand him to the woman. As the mother had refused to take the boy, the French national left him at the park the next day.

The boy had his maternal grandfather’s contact details in his pockets, based on which the police were able to discern his identity.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)