South Korean couple accused of starving baby go on trial

Seoul, South Korea -- The trial of a South Korean couple whose 3-month-old baby allegedly died of malnutrition while they nurtured an animated child during marathon sessions playing an online game begins Friday in Suwon, a satellite city south of Seoul.

The unmarried and unemployed couple, who have not been named, will be tried in Suwon District Court for negligent homicide. They were arrested in March.

The couple were reportedly obsessed with a game called Prius Online, playing it for sessions lasting as long as 12 hours. In the 3D fantasy game, players raise "Anima," a blue girl, who, as she grows, gains magical powers.

The case has highlighted the dark side of the Internet in South Korea, a nation renowned for its outstanding technological infrastructure and early adoption of the Internet and mobile technologies.