The Ministry of Justice is considering lowering the age of minors who are exempt from criminal punishment.
 
Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon unveiled the stance to reporters on Thursday, saying the initiative is aimed to protect the general public from juvenile crimes that have become increasingly violent.
 
Under Korean law, minors under age of 14 are not subject to criminal indictment.
 
Asked whether the age should be reduced to 12 or 13, Han answered that the ministry will thoroughly examine all possible options.
 
During a weekly meeting on Wednesday, the minister instructed relevant agencies to hand in a speedy examination on the issue and inspect whether current correction facilities serve as an adequate deterrent against juvenile crimes.
 
With juvenile delinquencies on the rise, calls are growing for lowering the minimum age of minors who can be prosecuted for their crimes and imposing tougher punishment on them.  

Lowering the age of criminal responsibility is one of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s state tasks.