ova selling-crackdown Police crack down on illegal ova trading

Police sought arrest warrants for two brokers on charges of trafficking human eggs, while booking 13 women for allegedly offering their eggs for money, officials said Tuesday. The two alleged brokers, identified by their surnames, Koo, 46, and Jung, 29, were accused of brokering human egg transactions 16 times while running a Web site on infertility between 2009 and 2010. They took a total of about 30 million won in commission, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. The brokers drew up a list of egg providers, setting different prices for ova -- up to 10 million won (US$927) per egg, depending on the age, education background and appearance of the donors, police said. Thirteen alleged egg providers were also booked without physical detention, police said. A 2005 bioethics law prohibits the trading of ova or sperm for commercial purposes, but allows the collecting of human eggs within a limited number for research purposes