South Korean President Considers Lowering Juvenile Offender Age, Seeks Public Input

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung indicated that lowering the age threshold for juvenile offenders, specifically for serious crimes, might not be enough. During a State Council meeting on the 14th, he expressed his view that a one-year reduction might be "too weak," questioning its effectiveness in deterring severe offenses.

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It seems we need to lower it. Is lowering it by just one year too weak?

President Lee was responding to a report from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family regarding public discourse on the age of criminal responsibility. He noted instances where minors seem to commit crimes with the understanding that they won't be punished, citing the possibility of a 12-year-old committing murder. He pointed out that many countries set the age of criminal responsibility at 12.

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There are scenes where they commit crimes thinking, 'I won't be punished.' Seeing that, isn't lowering it by just one year insufficient? For example, a 12-year-old could commit murder, couldn't they?

While acknowledging that experts were divided, with many favoring maintaining the current age, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Won Kang-sook explained that the public often misunderstands the implications for juveniles. She clarified that even minors can face significant consequences, such as long-term placement in juvenile reformatories for up to two years.

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Many countries set the age of juvenile offenders at 12 years old.

Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon added that juvenile records do not impede future public service careers, prompting President Lee to jokingly remark about the origin of the "Lee Jae-myung juvenile reformatory" rumor, a piece of fake news from his presidential campaign. Ultimately, President Lee decided against a final decision, emphasizing the need for further public consultation on whether to lower the age partially or fully, and for which categories of crimes.

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The public seems to misunderstand that juveniles are not punished at all. They don't seem to know that significant dispositions, such as long-term placement in juvenile reformatories for up to two years, are possible.