현행법상 상해죄는 사람을 대상으로 하므로 사람이 아닌 태아를 대상으로 한 상해행위로 태어난 아이에게서 상해의 결과가 나타난 (이른바 태아성 치사상) 경우 어떻게 대처하는 것이 가장 합리적인가에 대해서는 견해가 나누어진다.이에 대해서는 直接 胎兒에 대한 가해행위로 취급하는 방법과 우회적으로 産母에 대한 가해행위로 포착하는 방법이 있는 바, 전자는 태아를 독립적 개체로 파악하는 현행 형법의 입장에 충실하나 태아성 치사상의 경우를 처벌할 수 없음으로 인해 형사정책적 결함이 발생한다. 이에 비해 후자는 태아를 모체의 일부로 파악함으로써 현행 형법상의 해석론으로서는 무리이나 胎兒性致死傷을 처벌할 수 있는 등의 장점이 있다.생각건대 이상론적으로는 태아도 모체의 일부이며 사람과 태아의 보호가치성은 원칙적으로 동등하다는 시각을 전제로 하되, 다만 태아는 사람이 되기 직전의 미완의 생명체이므로 그 보호정도에 있어서는 사람과 차별화되어야 하며, 그것도 태아의 발육정도(모체 밖 생존가능성)도 고려함이 타당하다. 요컨대 사람과 태아를 명백히 구분하고, 상해죄는 사람을 대상으로 하는 현행 형법의 태도를 전제로 한 태아성치사상의 경우의 해석론으로서는 ‘모체’ 또는 ‘태아’ 자체보다는 ‘태어난 사람’에 대한 상해죄나 과실치상죄 등의 성립을 부정하는 소극설은 부당하며 적극설이 더 합리적임을 고찰하였다.그러나 이러한 해석론을 펼치더라도 여전히 다소의 문제점은 나타나고 있으므로 궁극적으로는 태아는 모체의 일부이면서도 상당한 독립성이 있는 개체임을 전제로 새로운 유형의 범죄(예컨대 태아치상치사죄, 태아상해치상죄, 태아상해치사죄 등)형태의 입법을 통해 해결할 필요가 있음을 고찰하였다.

Recently, with progress of medical science and biotechnology, the problems on life of fetus as a live being or origin of human being that should to be protected by law and establishment of its protection's boundary are rising to the surface of debate as a very important problems newly. New approach which is based on the notion that fetus has nearly equal protective value by law to person is introduced in this paper. In criminal sanction due to doing harm toward to the Foetus, we should have a viewpoint that foetus is a part of the mother's body and in principle protection's necessity of person and foetus is equal to each other. Because of foetus is unfinished life of just prior to the person, it should be distinguished protection degree of person life from it of foetus. This problem should be solved by the legislation(law-making) about new type's crime ultimately, on the assumption that the foetus is a a part of the mother's body and it is an individual object recognized the independence. Though(even if) biologically the foetus is a part of the mother's body, we should be based sight that the foetus is separated from the mother's body as a interpretation theory in legal viewpoint. Because korean criminal law discriminate between person and foetus clearly and persons only have a qualification as the object of charge of injuring another. In conclusion, if results of injury occur in born child by doing harm toward to the foetus, they should be punished not as a charge of injuring another or accidental infliction of injury against the foetus or the mother's body but as a it against the born child.

Recently, with progress of medical science and biotechnology, the problems on life of fetus as a live being or origin of human being that should to be protected by law and establishment of its protection's boundary are rising to the surface of debate as a very important problems newly. New approach which is based on the notion that fetus has nearly equal protective value by law to person is introduced in this paper. In criminal sanction due to doing harm toward to the Foetus, we should have a viewpoint that foetus is a part of the mother's body and in principle protection's necessity of person and foetus is equal to each other. Because of foetus is unfinished life of just prior to the person, it should be distinguished protection degree of person life from it of foetus. This problem should be solved by the legislation(law-making) about new type's crime ultimately, on the assumption that the foetus is a a part of the mother's body and it is an individual object recognized the independence. Though(even if) biologically the foetus is a part of the mother's body, we should be based sight that the foetus is separated from the mother's body as a interpretation theory in legal viewpoint. Because korean criminal law discriminate between person and foetus clearly and persons only have a qualification as the object of charge of injuring another. In conclusion, if results of injury occur in born child by doing harm toward to the foetus, they should be punished not as a charge of injuring another or accidental infliction of injury against the foetus or the mother's body but as a it against the born child.

Abortion, Foetus, Embryo, Injury.