President Yoon urged for national public opinion collection regarding lowering the age of criminal responsibility for juveniles, suggesting a conclusion in two months as discussions intensify.
On October 24, President Yoon Seok-yeol proposed gathering public opinion on the potential reduction of the age of criminal responsibility for juvenile offenders, also known as '촉법소년' or legal minors, suggesting that a conclusion could be reached in two months. Discussions regarding lowering the age of criminal responsibility, which has remained unchanged since the Criminal Act was enacted in 1953, are expected to gain momentum as the Ministry of Justice reported a recommendation to lower the age from 14 to 13 years. Yoon emphasized the importance of societal consensus in lawmaking and noted that a significant majority of the public seems to favor finding a minimum consensus on lowering the age.
