'Child Abuse Offender Working at Childcare Facility'... 14 Caught

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 6th that it identified 14 individuals illegally working in child-related institutions after checking whether people with a history of child abuse crimes were operating or employed at such institutions, and took corrective actions such as facility closures and dismissals.

The Ministry conducted an investigation from April to December last year targeting 2,603,021 workers at 386,357 related institutions nationwide, including academies, sports facilities, and daycare centers, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Under the current Child Welfare Act, individuals who have been sentenced to imprisonment or treatment custody for child abuse-related crimes and whose sentences have been finalized are prohibited from operating or being employed at child-related institutions for a certain period.

However, this inspection revealed that 14 people, including 6 facility operators and 8 employees, worked at child-related institutions during their employment restriction period. By facility type, there were 6 people at sports facilities (3 operators, 3 employees), 4 at educational facilities (2 operators, 2 employees), 1 at mental health promotion facilities (1 employee), 1 at welfare facilities for the disabled (1 employee), 1 at medical institutions (1 operator), and 1 at communal housing facilities (1 employee).

Regarding the individuals identified, local governments and education offices in charge have either closed the institutions or required changes in operators, and dismissed the employees or are planning to take such measures. Additionally, the inspection results will be publicly available on the Child Rights Guarantee Agency website for one year starting from the 7th, so that anyone can check them.

Shin Kkot-si-gye, Director of Population and Child Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, "Since cases of crimes committed while operating or working at child-related institutions are occurring, we will continue to make efforts to strengthen the enforcement of the employment restriction system."