Ministry of Justice to Lead Second Public Deliberation on Lowering Juvenile Criminal Responsibility Age

South Korea's Ministry of Justice is set to spearhead the second round of public discussions regarding the potential lowering of the age for juvenile criminal responsibility, commonly known as 'chokbeop sonyeon' (child offenders).

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family previously led the initial phase of consultations. Based on these discussions, the ministry proposed lowering the age threshold from the current 14 to 13 years old for juveniles committing serious, severe, or repeat offenses. This proposal was presented at a cabinet meeting on April 14.

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The Ministry of Justice will be in charge as the responsible ministry, and specific public deliberation plans will be discussed with relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

President Lee Jae-myung acknowledged the complexity of the issue, urging for more in-depth debate. He called for clarification on whether the age reduction should be partial or comprehensive, applied to all crimes, and by how much it should be lowered (e.g., one or two years). The President also emphasized the need for further public opinion gathering through surveys and other means.

The government's decision to assign the Ministry of Justice the lead role in the subsequent discussions stems from the need for extensive legal review and specialized expertise. The Ministry of Justice will collaborate closely with other relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, to formulate a detailed plan for the public deliberation process.

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This is a difficult topic. Let's have another discussion on whether to lower it partially or entirely, for all crimes, and by one or two years, and also gather public opinion through surveys.