Last Year's Sex Offender Background Check Results
33% Employed at Private Education Facilities
40 More Offenders Detected Compared to Previous Year
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family identified 121 individuals with a history of sexual offenses who are employed at or directly operating institutions primarily used by children and adolescents, such as schools and academies. Notably, 33% of these individuals were working at private educational institutions like academies and tutoring centers.
On the 28th, the Ministry announced in a press release, "Last year, we checked the sexual offense records of approximately 3.75 million people working at over 540,000 child and adolescent-related institutions, and confirmed that 121 of them violated the law by being employed at or operating these institutions."
Under the current 'Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sexual Abuse,' central government agencies and local governments are required to verify whether operators and employees of child and youth-related institutions have any sexual offense records that restrict employment.
In particular, due to amendments to the law last year, the scope of institutions subject to inspection expanded to include comprehensive childcare support centers, community care centers, support centers for children and youth victims of prostitution, as well as medical technicians and nursing assistants, resulting in an increase of approximately 330,000 people inspected compared to the previous year. The number of individuals identified increased by 40.
The main institutions where the identified individuals were employed (or operating) are ▲private educational institutions (33.1%, 40 people) ▲sports facilities (22.3%, 27 people) ▲medical institutions (14.9%, 18 people), in that order.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will dismiss 75 of the identified employees and proceed with closing institutions operated by 46 individuals. The names of the child and youth-related institutions identified in this inspection and the results of the measures taken will be publicly disclosed on the 'Sex Offender Notification e Website' for three months starting from the 29th.
Earlier, in August last year, the Ministry submitted a bill to the National Assembly that imposes fines of up to 10 million KRW on operators who refuse closure requests and fines of up to 3 million KRW on institutions that fail to submit materials for verifying sexual offense records.
Lee Jeong-ae, Director of the Child and Youth Sexual Protection Division at the Ministry, stated, "We will strengthen inspections and management in collaboration with related ministries, local governments, and education offices for institutions with many violations, such as private educational institutions, sports facilities, and medical institutions. We will also enhance guidance and publicity on the employment restriction system for sexual offenders targeting related organizations."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
