"Lowering the Age for Juvenile Criminal Responsibility"... Discussion on Institutional Supplementary Measures

The second public forum on the proposal to lower the age threshold for juvenile criminal responsibility will be held.

On April 14, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced that, together with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the National Police Agency, and the National Youth Policy Institute, it will jointly hold the second forum on "Institutional Supplementary Measures Regarding the Age Criteria for Juvenile Criminal Responsibility (Chokbeopsonyeon)" on April 15 at the Bankers Club in Jung-gu, Seoul.

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At the event, field experts from education, welfare, and law enforcement will participate as discussants to share a wide range of perspectives from practice.

At the first forum, held previously, the main topics were "The Current Status of the Chokbeopsonyeon System and Key Issues in the Age Debate," including the essence of criminal responsibility and the role of the Juvenile Act. Concepts related to the age threshold for juvenile criminal responsibility were examined and key issues were shared.

The forum will begin with opening remarks by Minister Won Min-kyung of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Noh Jeong-hee, Chair of the Social Dialogue Council (civilian sector), Minister Choi Kyo-jin of the Ministry of Education, and Baek Il-hyun, President of the National Youth Policy Institute. These will be followed by expert presentations and discussions.

Bae Sang-kyun, Research Fellow at the Korea Institute of Criminology and Justice Policy, will deliver a presentation on "Supplementing the Juvenile Criminal Responsibility System Beyond the Age Debate." He will address institutional improvements in areas such as: ▲ standardization of procedural operations, ▲ linkage after protective measures, and ▲ protection of victims' rights.

In the subsequent discussion, experts from various fields-including education, welfare, law enforcement, and the judiciary-will participate, engaging in in-depth discussions based on their field experience.

The social dialogue council on the age threshold for juvenile criminal responsibility will continue public deliberation procedures to collect citizens' opinions even after the forum. On April 18 and 19, deliberative discussions with about 200 citizen panel members will be held in Osong and Seoul.

Minister Won Min-kyung of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said, "Through the first public forum, we confirmed the high level of public interest in the age criteria for juvenile criminal responsibility," adding, "At this forum, we hope to see effective and practical discussions that can address gaps in the current system with the insights of experts who work closely with young people's lives."

Minister Choi Kyo-jin of the Ministry of Education remarked, "This forum is meaningful in that it discusses how our society views juvenile crime and whether the infrastructure for guidance and re-education of juvenile offenders functions effectively. I hope this will be an opportunity to overcome our society's conventional thinking on juvenile crime and to present new perspectives and solutions."

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