Damages win for S Korea baby swap

The girls were swapped accidentally by a nurse

A South Korean mother who left hospital with the wrong baby after giving birth more than 16 years ago has won some $56,000 (£34,000) in damages.

The woman was unaware of the hospital's mistake until last year when she found her daughter's blood type could not possibly match hers or her husband's.

Tests proved the girl was not hers, and it was then discovered that a nurse had accidentally swapped the children.

Seoul Central District Court refused a request to see the other girl's file.

It cited the need to protect personal information.

The woman, who gave birth in a hospital at Guri, Gyeonggi Province, in 1992 wanted to see the medical file to track down her biological daughter.

The court ordered the hospital to pay damages to the mother for mental losses, The Korea Herald reported.

"The hospital bears responsibility for taking adequate care of the newborn babies and to return each one to the right parents," said the court in its ruling.