In response to the tragic death of an 11-year-old child with disabilities due to abuse, the government has introduced robust measures to close gaps in child abuse response. From now on, if a child abuse report is received more than twice a year, immediate separation from the parents will be prioritized.
Additionally, the system will be revised to ensure that abuse histories are checked for children exempted from school attendance. The number of dedicated shelters for abused children and infants will also be significantly increased to provide better protection for at-risk children.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced these measures on September 2, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and the National Police Agency. These measures aim to quickly address the shortcomings in on-site responses revealed by the recent case in Cheonan, where a child with a history of abuse was exempted from school attendance and subsequently died.
Immediate Separation Priority for Repeat Abuse Reports
The most significant change is the expedited process for separating children from abusive situations. Previously, when abuse reports were made, police would conduct an initial assessment and briefly relay the results to local governments, making it difficult for officials to assess risk and make timely separation decisions.
Going forward, police will promptly share detailed information about reports with local governments from the outset. In cases where there are clear signs of repeated abuse, such as receiving more than two reports in a year, immediate protective measures will be prioritized. This month, operational manuals will be revised to reflect these changes.
First Vice Minister Hyun Soo-yeop stated during the briefing, "We aim to ensure that the details of reports are shared comprehensively, allowing local governments to make more proactive separation decisions."
To enhance on-site response capabilities, the number of dedicated child abuse officials in cities and counties will increase by 113 to a total of 863 next year, and their activity allowances will double from 50,000 won to 100,000 won per month.
Mandatory Abuse History Checks for Exempted Children
One major issue in the Cheonan case was that the education office was unaware of the child's past abuse history when granting an exemption from school attendance.
In the future, when applications for exemptions or deferrals from school attendance are submitted, the relevant authorities will be required to check the child's abuse report history. The education office will also conduct thorough checks on the whereabouts and safety of children who are currently not attending school to cross-reference abuse histories.
Children identified as high-risk will be closely monitored and protected through joint efforts by child protection agencies, police, and local governments.
Expansion of Shelters for Abused Children and Infants
The government will significantly increase the number of dedicated shelters for children with disabilities and infants who have been abused, addressing the shortage of safe spaces.
To fill the gap left by the existing 12 shelters for abused children, 18 additional shelters will be renovated and established as specialized facilities for children with disabilities and infants by next year.
Furthermore, measures will be implemented to prevent abusive parents from refusing case management services. Previously, there were limited options for enforcing compliance when parents declined assistance, but now, if they refuse without valid reasons, child protection agency counselors, along with dedicated officials and police, will conduct joint home visits to ensure compliance.
Vice Minister Hyun emphasized, "Creating an environment where children can grow up safely is a fundamental responsibility of the state. We will implement these supplementary measures swiftly and thoroughly to establish a robust safety net against child abuse."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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