During a Cabinet meeting on October 24, South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol discussed the potential lowering of the age of criminal responsibility for minors, currently set at 14 years. He noted that there appears to be a strong public sentiment leaning towards lowering this age, emphasizing that societal laws should reflect shared agreements. The Ministry of Justice presented a report advocating for this change, outlining arguments for and against it, which led to President Yoon's inquiry regarding the implications of setting the age at either 12 or 13.

The discussion included insights from various officials, where the Vice Minister of Justice mentioned that first-year middle school students are typically around 13 years old, thus raising debates on whether those under 13 should be subject to criminal penalties. The President reflected on this and proposed establishing a reasonable standard based on the classification of elementary versus middle school students, suggesting that a decision must be reached promptly, hence the call for a decision within a two-month timeline.

Minister of Gender Equality and Family, Won Min-kyung, contributed to the debate by highlighting that the failures of youth are often societal failures, questioning whether there has been sufficient effort to create a safe and happy environment for teenagers. She advocated for thorough discussions involving experts. In response, President Yoon showed agreement, urging for public discussions to be organized through the Gender Equality Ministry, similar to past public discourses under former President Moon Jae-in regarding nuclear energy, aiming for a well-informed conclusion based on public opinion and scientific debate by the two-month deadline.