Key facts
- Three 12-year-old boys have been placed in juvenile protection facilities in Cheonan, South Korea.
- The boys are accused of stealing cars and driving without licenses in separate incidents in May.
- Police sought emergency warrants due to the seriousness of the offenses and the risk of reoffending.
- In South Korea, children aged 10 to under 14 cannot be criminally prosecuted.
South Korean police have taken the rare step of placing three 12-year-old boys in juvenile protection facilities following a series of car thefts and unlicensed driving incidents. The move underscores growing concern over serious offenses committed by children too young to face criminal prosecution.
Police in Cheonan, a city approximately 90km south of Seoul, stated on June 17 that the boys were placed in facilities after a series of car thefts in May. A police official told Yonhap News Agency that emergency accompaniment warrants are sought for children below the age of criminal responsibility if cases are serious, there is a risk of reoffending, or guardians cannot manage the child.
The four boys involved, identified only by initials A, B, C, and D, are all 12 years old. In South Korea, children aged 10 to under 14 cannot be criminally prosecuted. One incident on May 13 involved boys A, B, and C allegedly stealing an unlocked SUV from an underground car park and driving it through the city.