Children Abandoned in 5 Tons of Garbage Piles
Child Abuse Cases Including Violence and Neglect Double in 5 Years
Experts Say "Government Support for Child Protection Agencies Is Urgently Needed"
[Asia Economy reporters Han Seung-gon and Kang Joo-hee] Recently, a shocking incident occurred in an apartment in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do, where the body of a newborn baby was abandoned in a refrigerator. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the other two children were left neglected in a pile of garbage weighing about 5 tons, adding to the tragedy.
Child abuse cases have significantly increased compared to the past and are pointed out as a social problem, but government support for institutions responsible for preventing and managing such harm has been insufficient. There are calls for urgent legal and institutional improvements to prevent child abuse. Experts emphasize the urgent need for government support for child protection agencies.
The Yeosu Police Department announced on the 4th that they have sent A (43), who is accused of storing the deceased newborn in a refrigerator and neglecting two children in garbage (charges including child abuse resulting in death), to the prosecution under custody. According to the police, A is suspected of hiding the newborn in the refrigerator for over two years after the baby died around October 2018.
A’s other children, a son (7) and the deceased baby's twin daughter (2), were confirmed to have been neglected in poor conditions, eating and sleeping in the garbage pile for the past two years. When a child protection agency visited A’s home on the 25th of last month, the interior was reportedly filled with about 5 tons of garbage. Yeosu City, after confirming signs of child abuse on the 20th of last month, sent the two children to a shelter for abused children and separated them from A.
Brutal child abuse or neglect cases have occurred multiple times this year as well. In September, a tragic accident occurred where an elementary school-aged brother and sister suffered severe burns and the younger sibling died in a fire caused by trying to eat ramen at home. The siblings reportedly did not receive proper care from their guardian and were subjected to abuse.
In June, a 9-year-old child was confined in a travel trunk and eventually died in Cheonan, and in Changnyeong, a child was chained and given only one meal a day, suffering abuse close to torture, sparking public outrage.
A two-month-old baby was found dead in a refrigerator at a private home in an apartment in Yeosu, and the inside of the apartment is covered with trash. Photo by Yeosu City
Child abuse cases have more than doubled in the past five years. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), the number of child abuse reports increased significantly from 19,214 cases in 2015 to △29,674 in 2016 △34,169 in 2017 △36,417 in 2018 △41,389 in 2019.
In particular, over 70% of child abuse perpetrators in the past five years were parents. Relatives and cohabitants of parents followed, and cases of child abuse by workers at child welfare facilities have also consistently occurred.
Regarding types of abuse, cases involving multiple types of abuse (14,476 cases) were the most common last year, followed by emotional abuse (7,622 cases), physical abuse (4,179 cases), neglect (2,885 cases), and sexual abuse (883 cases). The number of children who died due to abuse reached 42 last year alone.
However, support for institutions that prevent child abuse has been minimal. Since October, the government has required local governments to assign dedicated officials for child abuse prevention, but it has been confirmed that some districts have no dedicated officials at all or are suffering from staff shortages.
On the 2nd, a petition titled "Please listen to the voices of dedicated child abuse officials" was posted on the Blue House's public petition board.
The petitioner, who identified themselves as a dedicated child abuse official, said, "The recently strengthened guidelines for responding to child abuse are draining the dedicated officials," and complained, "Currently, most regions have five or fewer dedicated child abuse officials, and many places have only one official assigned."
The petitioner continued, "We mainly start investigations after 6 p.m. when families have left work. It is standard to finish investigations by 9 p.m., and on days when emergency measures are taken, we often leave work at 2 or 3 a.m. Also, if a child has been physically abused, we are told to take them to medical institutions, but who bears the medical expenses? Not a single won has been allocated for medical costs for abused children," they pointed out.
According to the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee's preliminary review report on the "2021 Budget and Fund Operation Plan," of the 39.248 billion KRW budget and funds allocated for child abuse-related matters next year, only 3.1 billion KRW is budgeted under the MOHW's general account.
Voices pointing out problems with the child abuse-related budget have also emerged in the National Assembly. Kang Sun-woo, a member of the Health and Welfare Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, emphasized at a child abuse-related public meeting held on the 6th of last month, "It is necessary to establish legal grounds for installing and supporting separate shelters for abused disabled children and to allocate the budget for this under the general account."
Experts emphasize the urgent need for government support for child protection agencies.
Gong Hye-jung, president of the Korea Child Abuse Prevention Association, said, "While child abuse cases are increasing, government support for related institutions is extremely insufficient. Systematic and professional education for police investigating child abuse scenes, responsible officials, and child protection agencies is not being adequately provided."
She added, "In 2019, the government declared the 'Inclusive State Child Policy,' pledging that the state would take responsibility for children and provide generous support. It is true that laws and systems are improving," but she emphasized, "However, compared to children in ordinary families, support costs for abused children who need the most protection are being cut. Professional government support is needed in various aspects for abused children."
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