Sharp Drop in Traffic Accidents During Seol Holiday Amid COVID-19 Impact... Increase in Child Abuse Reports

Increased Awareness of the 'Jeongin Incident'
95.8% Rise Compared to Previous Years
Total 112 Reports Decrease

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Due to the decrease in the number of people returning home amid the spread of COVID-19 and active crime prevention activities, crimes and traffic accidents during this Lunar New Year holiday period have decreased compared to previous years.

The National Police Agency announced on the 15th that, as a result of implementing the 'Comprehensive Security Activities for the Lunar New Year Holiday' from the 1st to the 14th of this month, reports of major crimes and traffic accidents during the holiday period have declined.

The average daily number of traffic accident fatalities during the holiday was 4, a 66.7% decrease compared to the previous year, and the number of injured persons was 391, down 40.9%. The police deployed undercover patrol cars and drones on major highways to crack down on reckless and selfish driving, resulting in 9,351 illegal acts being caught nationwide on roads.

The number of 112 emergency calls reporting major crimes also decreased compared to previous years. Theft cases dropped by 16%, domestic violence by 1.9%, and overall major crime 112 reports decreased by 4.1% compared to the previous year. In particular, through strong crackdowns on crimes infringing on the daily lives of ordinary citizens, 1,011 offenders of domestic violence and 292 offenders of dating violence were arrested. Additionally, 27 individuals violating quarantine rules violently were also caught.

However, reports of child abuse surged sharply to an average of 47 cases per day, a 95.8% increase compared to previous years, reflecting heightened social interest following the recent ‘Jeong-in case’. In fact, on the day before the Lunar New Year holiday, the 10th, a shocking incident occurred in Gumi, Gyeongbuk, where a 3-year-old girl was found mummified, and on the 12th, in Iksan, Jeonbuk, a couple in their 20s was arrested for abusing and causing the death of their 2-week-old infant.

A National Police Agency official emphasized, "We will do our best to maintain the peaceful and safe security posture during the Lunar New Year holiday so that the safety of the people can be protected."

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