Prime Minister Jeong: "Punishment for Youth and Children Purchasing or Possessing Sexual Crime Materials"

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-kyun

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun stated on the 23rd regarding digital sex crimes represented by the Telegram 'Nth Room' case, "We will significantly strengthen punishments not only for the production and sale but also for the purchase or possession of sexual exploitation materials involving adolescents and children."

Prime Minister Chung presided over the Government Policy Coordination Meeting held at the Government Complex Sejong on the same day and said, "The government has prepared a comprehensive plan to eradicate digital sex crimes in our society under the principle of imposing heavy punishments on perpetrators and ensuring solid protection for victims."

He emphasized, "First, we will significantly strengthen punishments not only for the production and sale but also for the purchase or possession of sexual exploitation materials involving adolescents and children."

He continued, "We will enable the confiscation of criminal proceeds related to these crimes even before a guilty verdict is reached and actively disclose the identities of suspects. We will operate a 24-hour monitoring and support system to immediately delete digital sex crime materials and swiftly protect victims to thoroughly prevent secondary damage."

Prime Minister Chung instructed, "Relevant ministries should show results, not just plans. Please start immediately with legislative amendments such as the Youth Protection Act and the Act on the Regulation and Punishment of Criminal Proceeds."

He also ordered, "The Office for Government Policy Coordination should continuously monitor the progress of each ministry and provide detailed explanations to the public."

Regarding the proactive regulatory reform roadmap for eco-friendly vehicles, Prime Minister Chung said, "We will discuss future regulatory reform measures for hydrogen and electric vehicles, which are rapidly growing in the global market. In particular, establishing standards for hydrogen liquefaction technology to expand hydrogen vehicle distribution and institutionalizing personal mobility devices such as electric kickboards are expected to bring revolutionary changes on the ground."

He added, "There will also be many changes in new industries following the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with regulatory innovation, I hope you prepare bold research and development (R&D), market development for new products, and measures to revitalize private investment."

Regarding the reduction of industrial accident fatalities and construction safety innovation measures, he said, "The government will continue necessary efforts such as supplementing industrial safety systems and conducting intensive inspections of high-risk workplaces to reduce industrial accident deaths to the 500 range by 2022. For the construction sector, which accounts for more than half of industrial accident fatalities, we will implement special safety measures."