A man who left his three children on the streets temporarily to look for their mother has been cleared of child abandonment charges, after the court decided that he did not intend to actually leave his children.

"(The defendant) left his children on the streets so they could meet their mother. It does not appear that his actions were to an extent detrimental to the children's mental health," the appellate division of the Gwangju District Court said in its ruling Wednesday.

The 44-year-old defendant is accused of leaving his two teenage sons and preteen daughter unsupervised near a convenience store in Gwangju, in July of 2021, telling them he is going for a smoke. He told them later via phone that he "will be nearby" and to go to a police station to call their mother.

Their mother had left home seven months ago and had not contacted them since. The defendant came to the city from their home in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, to Gwangju, where he thought his estranged wife would be.

The children asked police to find their mother, but the woman did not show up. Upon learning this, the father came back and took them home.

While the court acknowledged that the defendant's actions were "very inappropriate," it said they are not enough to constitute child abuse.

South Korea’s Child Welfare Act states that child abuse can be punished by up to five years in prison or 50 million won ($38,300) in fines.