"Preventing Another Haedeun"... Government to Survey 58,000 Children Aged Six and Under with No Hospital Visits

Ministry of Health and Welfare Announces Enhanced Measures to Prevent Child Abuse

Half of Child Abuse Fatalities Involve Children Aged Two or Under

Stronger Legal Penalties for Child Abuse Crimes to Be Pursued

Starting in May, the government will conduct a full-scale investigation of 58,000 children aged six and under who have no records of hospital visits, check-ups, or vaccinations. This initiative aims to identify infants and young children at high risk of child abuse at an early stage, amid ongoing social controversies such as the recent death of a family in Ulsan and the murder of a four-month-old infant named Haedeun.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on April 22 that it has established and released a "Plan to Strengthen Child Abuse Prevention and Response" in collaboration with related ministries, including the Ministry of Education. The new measures are intended to prevent abuse against infants, young children, and children with disabilities who may have difficulty expressing themselves directly, and to protect victims. It is especially difficult to detect signs of abuse when the victim is an infant or young child, as communication and self-expression are limited. Between 2022 and 2024, 46.8% of children who died from abuse were aged two or under.

Jung Eunkyung, Minister of Health and Welfare, visited a shelter for abused children located in Nowon-gu, Seoul at 4 p.m. on the 21st to inspect the facility's situation on site and encourage the staff members. Ministry of Health and Welfare

Accordingly, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has decided to conduct a comprehensive investigation of infants and young children in crisis. Taking into account the tendency for infants and young children to frequently use medical institutions, about 58,000 children aged six or under who have not used medical services will be surveyed starting next month through the e-Child Happiness Support Project. The goal is to investigate 30,000 children per quarter. If a household refuses a visit, officials will attempt to visit twice after designating a specific date. If the visit is refused again, a police investigation may be requested. In particular, to effectively identify children at risk, when visiting the homes of children aged two or under, a staff member from a child protection agency will accompany the visit.

Additionally, the government will stipulate that medical staff closely observe children for physical trauma or other abnormalities during infant and child health check-ups. The Early Life Health Management Program, which provides home visits by professionals for health management and counseling to families raising infants under the age of two, will also be expanded in stages. The government will also strengthen the management of unexcused absences from daycare centers and kindergartens to help detect signs of crisis at an early stage.

The government will also strengthen protection and support for child victims who show signs of being at risk. Shelters for abused children, which provide protection, treatment, and care, will be expanded, particularly in regions where supply is lacking or accessibility is low. The number of child abuse-specialized government officials will be increased, and work support will be strengthened to reduce the workload on the ground and enhance expertise. The statutory penalties for child abuse crimes, including child abuse murder and manslaughter, will be strengthened, and legal amendments will be pursued to clarify that child murder by parents constitutes fatal child abuse.

Meanwhile, in light of the high number of child abuse cases involving children with developmental disabilities, the government will promote institutional improvements tailored to their specific characteristics. Shelters specialized for abused children with disabilities, equipped with appropriate facilities for their protection, treatment, and care, will be expanded.

Isran Lee, First Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, stated, "These new measures are the result of efforts to build a safer society for infants, young children, and children with disabilities who have difficulty expressing themselves. Together with related ministries, we will proactively and swiftly implement improvements to create a system where children do not die from abuse and can grow up healthy."

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