Seoul City Conducts Comprehensive Survey of Over 35,000 High-Risk Abused Children

Establishment of Dedicated Child Abuse Response Team ... Emergency Inspection of Abuse Reports and Neglect

On the 11th, two days before the first trial of the Jeong-in case, in which the adopted child died after 16 months of abuse by adoptive parents, condolence wreaths and a photo of the deceased child were placed in front of the fence of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. These were sent by members of the Korea Child Abuse Prevention Association, urging the application of murder charges against the adoptive mother and commemorating Jeong-in. From 8 a.m. on the day to 1 p.m. on the 15th, 70 condolence wreaths and 50 pinwheels will be installed along the fence of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 13th that it will conduct a full survey of 35,000 high-risk children for abuse and establish a dedicated child abuse response team.

First, by the end of March, an urgent inspection will be conducted on 658 children who have been reported for abuse more than twice in the past three years and 34,607 children at risk of neglect identified through the e-Child Happiness System. The e-Child Happiness System can identify children who have reached school age but do not attend school, children who have not received essential vaccinations, and children who have not applied for child allowances.

Children reported for abuse more than twice in three years will be visited at home by child abuse-dedicated officials from autonomous districts and child protection agencies, who will conduct in-depth interviews with all family members, including parents. Depending on the risk level, cases will be linked to child abuse investigations or follow-up management systems. Children at risk of neglect will be interviewed by welfare planners from the autonomous district's 'Visiting Community Service Center' and necessary measures will be taken.

The city will also strengthen its overall coordination function for child abuse prevention. A 'Child Abuse Response Team' will be newly established within the city's Family Affairs Office to build an organic cooperation system with autonomous districts, child protection agencies, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Additionally, the 'Seoul Child Abuse Prevention Council' will be formed to diagnose problems in the protection of abused children and the system for discovering children in crisis, and to find comprehensive solutions. The council will be chaired by the Director of the Seoul Women's and Family Policy Office and will include the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, Seoul Child Welfare Center, child protection agencies, and academic experts to discuss information sharing and cooperation system establishment among related organizations.

The seven child protection agencies that have been operated under private consignment will be gradually converted to direct management after collecting opinions from related experts to strengthen public accountability.

The number of child abuse-dedicated officials affiliated with autonomous districts, currently 62, will be increased to 72 in the first half of the year to enable a two-person investigation system, and additional personnel will be deployed at a rate of one person per 50 reports through future consultations with related ministries.

Song Da-young, Director of the Seoul Women's and Family Policy Office, said, "We will thoroughly inspect the public child abuse prevention and response system and strengthen related measures to ensure it functions properly in the field," and urged, "We ask citizens to take an interest in child abuse prevention and actively participate."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.