SEOUL, Dec. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea has abolished the statute of limitations for sexual violence committed by family members against children and adolescents, a sweeping legal reform aimed at strengthening protections for young victims and increasing accountability for offenders.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said Wednesday that the National Assembly passed revisions to the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sexual Offenses. Previously, only cases involving victims under 13 or those with disabilities were exempt from the statute of limitations, a loophole long criticized for enabling concealment of abuse within families.
Under the revised law, all familial sexual crimes against minors aged 13 to 19 — including rape and molestation — will have no time limit for prosecution. Officials expect the change to significantly improve human-rights protections for victims and ensure more thorough punishment for perpetrators.
The legislation also removes the requirement that prosecutors prove offenders knew a child would be exploited in cases involving child sexual exploitation, trafficking, or brokering for exploitative content — a step intended to ease the evidentiary burden and enhance protection for victims.
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Additional reforms broaden support for young survivors. Amendments to the Sexual Violence Prevention Act extend the maximum residency age for minors in protective shelters from 19 to 25 and formally add self-reliance grants to the types of state-funded assistance available. Schools will also be allowed to count absences for treatment or counseling as regular attendance.
To prevent secondary harm from media coverage, the government will establish new guidelines for reporting on gender-based violence and may request cooperation from news organizations.
Further amendments across multiple laws aim to protect vulnerable youth:
– Psychological and career-counseling programs for multicultural families;
– Increased transparency for marriage-brokerage businesses;
– Provisions allowing local governments to provide preventive and restorative programs for minors who contribute to violations such as underage drinking or smoking;
– New responsibilities for state and local agencies to support reclusive or isolated youths;
– Rules ensuring that minors entering youth shelters are not reported to guardians if they fled due to abuse, domestic violence, or sexual assault.
Together, the reforms mark one of the most comprehensive expansions of protections for children and adolescents in recent years, reflecting growing public concern over sexual violence and youth welfare.
Jerry M. Kim (jerry_kim@koreabizwire.com)
