[Card News] Does the Protective Label 'Youth' Make Them Act Like Adults?

Same Crime, Different Verdicts: Spotlight on Major Youth Crimes in History

[Asia Economy Reporter Jin-kyung Lee] As the number of children and adolescents involved as perpetrators in violent crimes continues to rise, becoming a serious social issue, the Ministry of Education recently announced that the age criterion for juvenile offenders exempt from criminal punishment will be lowered from ages 10?14 to ages 10?13. Among juvenile crimes in Korea, the proportion of violent and heinous crimes as well as recidivism rates are increasing, with 9 out of 10 juvenile offenders committing another crime within one year after punishment. Despite committing crimes as brutal as those of adults, juvenile offenders have often escaped proper punishment due to their minor status. Let us examine the seriousness of juvenile crime through past cases of severe juvenile violent crimes and explore possible countermeasures.