A National Assembly petition calling for tougher punishment for violent crimes committed by minors has drawn nearly 60,000 signatures after a teenager attacked three women—a mother and her two daughters—with a weapon at an apartment in Wonju, Gangwon.
According to the National Assembly e-petition system on the 14th, the petition filed on the 10th, titled "Petition to urge stronger criminal punishment for minors," surpassed 50,000 supporters on the 13th, three days later. Accordingly, the petition was referred to The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the standing committee with jurisdiction. As of 2 p.m. that day, the number of supporters stood at 58,400.
The victim's family who filed the petition said, "Under current law, minors aged 14 to 17 can be subject to criminal punishment, but because they are under 18, the death penalty or life imprisonment is not imposed, and the upper limit for a fixed term is capped at 15 years." They added, "For heinous crimes, criminal punishment without exception and an upward adjustment of sentences in line with reality are necessary."
They also noted, "It is another form of violence against the victims and their families when penalties are drastically reduced solely because the perpetrator is a minor," calling for clear standards and effective punishment for serious crimes committed by juvenile offenders and minors. They further requested the maximum sentence in this case and stressed the need for a social warning to prevent recurrence.
Earlier, at about 9:12 a.m. on the 5th, a 16-year-old, identified as A, was arrested and handed over to prosecutors on suspicion of attempted murder for allegedly wielding a weapon at a woman in her 40s, identified as B, and her two daughters at an apartment in Danggu-dong, Wonju, Gangwon.
In the incident, B suffered a severe neck injury, and the two daughters also sustained lacerations to their arms, shoulders and wrists. The family said the victims suffered serious injuries, including ligament and nerve damage, and some will require long-term treatment and rehabilitation.
The family said, "All the victims are women, and in particular, the weapon scars that will remain on their faces will be more than mere physical wounds—they will be lifelong psychological and social pain," adding, "As a family, just facing that reality tears our hearts apart."