The number of juvenile offenders has soared to 60,000 in five years... Is it best to leave it alone? = South Korea

In the past five years (2019-2023), 60,598 juvenile offenders (aged 10 to 14) who commit a crime receive protective measures such as community service or being sent to a juvenile detention center instead of receiving criminal punishment.
It turned out that there were 7 people. According to documents submitted by the National Police Agency to the Diet, the number of juvenile offenders exceeded 10,000 for the first time in 2021, and last year there were 19,654, nearly doubling in just two years.
Totaled. Half of all crimes were theft, and one-fourth were violent, but it was found that violent crimes such as arson, robbery, rape, murder, and drugs have recently increased.
The debate over juvenile abuse reignited on the 25th of last month after Bae Hyun-jin's attack on a powerful lawmaker. Immediately after the suspect commits the crime
This is because he clearly expressed his intention to commit the crime by claiming that he was ``violating the law (juvenile).'' There is no end to the cases in which the juvenile delinquency system is misused as a ``tool for impunity.''
In this sense, the current juvenile delinquency system cannot be left as is. There have already been 17 related bills in the 21st National Diet alone.
There have also been proposals to lower the standard age to 13 years old, and to allow criminal punishment for specific serious crimes regardless of age. Age adjustment is not effective in preventing crime and is more effective than harsh punishment.
The matter is currently being held at the Standing Committee due to the opposition of the Human Rights Commission and the Court Administrative Office, which believe that correction and indoctrination must be prioritized first, but it is now time to put an end to the debate. Severe punishment for criminal acts
It is necessary to instill a sense of caution. Despite changes in the social environment and physical maturity, the standard age for criminal minors has been maintained for more than 70 years since the Penal Code was enacted in 1953.
It is also an anachronism. In particular, considering that approximately 70% of juvenile offenders placed under protective custody are under the age of 13, a downward revision of the age standard may be inevitable. Even if the age is lowered, children will be sent to the juvenile division and
If punishment is limited to violent crimes committed by the police, the side effects will not be large. Of course, tougher punishment alone is not the ultimate solution. Appropriate education and training should be provided to juvenile offenders in order to prevent them from re-offending.
At the same time, we must provide training and rebuild the correction and indoctrination system.