Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon (R) visits a juvenile correctional facility in Anyang, south of Seoul, on June 22, 2022, in this file photo provided by his ministry.
SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — The justice ministry on Wednesday put up a pre-legislation notice about a law revision on lowering the age of criminal responsibility by one year from the current 14, officials said Wednesday.
Currently, minors aged between 10 and 14 — referred to as criminal minors — cannot be convicted of a crime in South Korea. If such children commit offenses, they are referred to community service programs or youth correction institutions.
Under the new revised law, criminal minors will exclude 13-year-olds, and they will be subject to criminal punishment if they commit a crime.
The new law comes in line with an earlier campaign pledge by President Yoon Suk-yeol to lower the criminal age limit by two years to 12.
(Yonhap)
