Dec. 26 (Asia Today) -- President Lee Jae-myung has ordered a formal review of lowering the age threshold for juvenile offenders exempt from criminal punishment, reviving a long-running debate amid growing public concern over youth crime. Legal experts broadly support the intent but caution that the move may have only limited deterrent effects.
During a policy briefing with the Ministry of Justice on Dec. 19, Lee instructed officials to place the issue of lowering the minimum age for criminal responsibility on the Cabinet agenda, according to officials.
Under South Korea's Criminal Act, established in 1953, children aged 10 to under 14 are classified as juvenile offenders and are exempt from criminal punishment, instead receiving protective measures focused on education and rehabilitation. The system was designed to prioritize the reformability of minors over punitive sanctions.
Critics argue, however, that crimes committed by juvenile offenders have risen sharply in both number and severity. According to the Supreme Court's Judicial Yearbook 2025, 7,294 juvenile offenders received protective dispositions in 2024, more than double the 3,465 recorded in 2020.
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