Yoo Seung-min: "Sexual assault by juvenile offenders is equally heinous crime, will lower criminal responsibility age to 12"

"Repeal the Juvenile Law to Implement Advanced Country-Type Rehabilitation Procedures"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Yoo Seung-min, a presidential candidate from the People Power Party, pledged on the 31st to lower the age of criminal minority to 12 years old.

On the 31st, Yoo held a press conference at the National Assembly and stated, "We can no longer neglect the victims who cry because of juvenile offenders exempt from criminal punishment," adding, "We will amend the Criminal Act to realistically set the age of criminal minority to 'under 12 years old.'"

Introducing stories of victims who suffer because juvenile offenders are not criminally punished, he criticized, "Above all, shameless remarks like 'Our child is a juvenile offender, so they are not punished. Handle it yourself' are causing victims to shed tears of blood openly."

He said, "The pain of crime victims does not lessen just because the perpetrator is young," and emphasized, "Sexual assault by juvenile offenders or adults are both equally heinous crimes."

He continued, "Juvenile offenders escape punishment simply because they are young," and argued, "It is unfair for victims to be treated differently depending on the perpetrator."

Regarding the juvenile offender regulations, Yoo criticized, "This absurdity stems from the age of criminal minority set during the war in 1953," and added, "The outdated regulation made over 70 years ago can no longer prevent such unfairness and crimes."

Additionally, Yoo promised to abolish the Juvenile Act and introduce the Protective Juvenile Act. He stated, "The Protective Juvenile Act will set the target age for juvenile protection cases from 8 years old to under 12 years old, and actively introduce restorative justice procedures to realize advanced country-style rehabilitation processes."

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