The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on the 30th canceled its plan to report to the Cabinet a measure to lower the age threshold for criminal minors (juvenile offenders) by one year from the current 14.
Initially, the gender equality ministry was set to report at the Cabinet meeting that day a recommendation centered on changing the age threshold for juvenile offenders to 13 from 14, limited to serious crimes such as murder and robbery.
However, through a notice to the press corps the previous day, it said, "The schedule for reporting to the Cabinet has not been finalized," adding, "We will provide separate guidance once the future reporting schedule is set." It appears the ministry determined that further discussion is needed on the specific scope of serious crimes and other details.
Debate over lowering the juvenile offender age began when President Lee Jae-myung said at a Cabinet meeting in Feb., "It seems an overwhelming majority of the public thinks we should lower it by one year."
Since Mar., the gender equality ministry has formed a "social dialogue council" to discuss the age threshold for juvenile offenders. The council concluded that the current standard should be maintained, but the ministry reportedly devised a compromise of "conditional lowering," taking into account public opinion favoring tougher punishment for juvenile crime.