— Overview
The Child Welfare Act, in Article 3, treats as child abuse physical, emotional and sexual harm, and neglect, by a guardian. A separate Child Abuse Punishment Act strengthens penalties and the legal path for separating and protecting a child. Teachers, medical staff and social workers are mandatory reporters, and a failure to report can bring a fine. After a report, police, a child-protection agency and medical staff are meant to work together.
In 2024, figures from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and KOSIS put reports at 50,242, up 3.5 percent from 48,522 in 2023, and confirmed cases at 24,492, down 4.8 percent from 25,739. Parents were 84.1 percent of confirmed perpetrators, or 20,603 cases, and 82.9 percent of cases were in the home. Re-abuse numbered 3,896, or 15.9 percent, and deaths were 30, against 44 in 2023, a fall of 31.8 percent. Those are 2024 official statistics, not a later rate.
In 2024, 28 percent of reports came from children themselves, and 34 percent from parents. In Chuncheon, a teacher kicked one child in the stomach for not practicing for a school festival, and kicked another three times after earlier saying, 'I'll cut your finger with scissors'; CCTV was present but dead, and there were no witnesses. After an Ulsan stepmother case in 2013, the 112 system was changed so that police start an investigation at once.
In 2022, medical workers accounted for only about 1 percent of reports, a figure cited again in an 8 April 2023 Chosun Ilbo article; the Jeong-in case is remembered as one in which medical staff saw signs and did not press a report hard enough. A video-statement system is meant to spare a child a second telling, yet criticism remains that the system still leans toward punishing the offender more than protecting the child.
In South Chungcheong a dedicated official was threatened by a parent. Busan's comprehensive child-protection center, Ai Sarang, runs parent education; Daegu's San-gyeok Middle School runs an empathy project and peer counseling. In one Cheongju account, 1,200 reports a year were set against eight dedicated officials, more than 140 cases each. Ministry materials in July 2023 spoke of 24-hour response, more staff, and stronger follow-up; those are 2023 announcements, not a later staffing count.
Discussion of a Child Basic Act, treating the child as a holder of rights rather than only an object of protection, was gathering pace. Overseas comparisons stay with the statutes named: the U.S. CAPTA of 1974, 24-hour investigation in Texas, and Children's Advocacy Centers with forensic interviews; the U.K. Children Acts of 1989 and 2004, Working Together, and a local-authority lead, with a Hackney example; Germany's SGB VIII and the Jugendamt, with a Berlin example; and Japan's Child Abuse Prevention Law of 2000 and hospital SCAN teams.
A national database of more than 850 cases is mentioned, with a 2022 Ishikawa and colleagues survey as a citation, not a later official tally.
— Contents and key concepts
In 2024, 50,242 reports, most of them still at home
The Child Welfare Act, in Article 3, treats as child abuse physical, emotional and sexual harm, and neglect, by a guardian. A separate Child Abuse Punishment Act strengthens penalties and the legal path for separating and protecting a child. Teachers, medical staff and social workers are mandatory reporters, and a failure to report can bring a fine. After a report, police, a child-protection agency and medical staff are meant to work together.
In 2024, figures from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and KOSIS put reports at 50,242, up 3.5 percent from 48,522 in 2023, and confirmed cases at 24,492, down 4.8 percent from 25,739. Parents were 84.1 percent of confirmed perpetrators, or 20,603 cases, and 82.9 percent of cases were in the home. Re-abuse numbered 3,896, or 15.9 percent, and deaths were 30, against 44 in 2023, a fall of 31.8 percent. Those are 2024 official statistics, not a later rate. In 2024, 28 percent of reports came from children themselves, and 34 percent from parents.
A kicked child in Chuncheon, thin medical reporting, and a still-punitive lean
In Chuncheon, a teacher kicked one child in the stomach for not practicing for a school festival, and kicked another three times after earlier saying, 'I'll cut your finger with scissors'; CCTV was present but dead, and there were no witnesses. After an Ulsan stepmother case in 2013, the 112 system was changed so that police start an investigation at once. In 2022, medical workers accounted for only about 1 percent of reports, a figure cited again in an 8 April 2023 Chosun Ilbo article. A video-statement system is meant to spare a child a second telling, yet criticism remains that the system still leans toward punishing the offender more than protecting the child. In one Cheongju account, 1,200 reports a year were set against eight dedicated officials, more than 140 cases each. Ministry materials in July 2023 spoke of 24-hour response and more staff; those are 2023 announcements, not a later staffing count.
Overseas comparisons stay with the statutes named: the U.S. CAPTA of 1974 and Children's Advocacy Centers; the U.K. Children Acts of 1989 and 2004; Germany's SGB VIII and the Jugendamt; and Japan's Child Abuse Prevention Law of 2000 and hospital SCAN teams. A national database of more than 850 cases is mentioned, with a 2022 survey as a citation, not a later official tally. The same Korean report, at fuller length, is on CampusDown.
Sources
- Child Welfare Act, Article 3: physical, emotional and sexual abuse, and neglect, by a guardian. Child Abuse Punishment Act; mandatory reporters (teachers, medical staff, social workers) and fines for non-reporting. In 2024, MOHW/KOSIS: reports 50,242 (+3.5% from 48,522 in 2023); confirmed 24,492 (−4.8% from 25,739); parents 84.1% (20,603); in-home 82.9%; re-abuse 3,896 (15.9%); deaths 30 versus 44 in 2023 (−31.8%). In 2024, reports from children 28%, from parents 34%. Chuncheon teacher-assault story; Ulsan stepmother case, 2013, and the 112 change. Medical reporting about 1% in 2022, cited again in Chosun Ilbo, 8 April 2023. Video-statement system; criticism of a still-punitive lean. Busan Ai Sarang; Daegu San-gyeok Middle School empathy project. One Cheongju account: 1,200 reports a year, eight officials. MOHW materials, July 2023. Discussion of a Child Basic Act. U.S. CAPTA 1974; U.K. Children Acts 1989/2004; Germany SGB VIII / Jugendamt; Japan Child Abuse Prevention Law 2000 and SCAN teams. A database of 850+ cases is mentioned; a 2022 Ishikawa et al. survey is a citation, not a later official tally. No later official tallies added.
Last updated: 14 November 2026
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