User:Its.hiilary/sandbox/Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sex Offenses

Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sex Offenses Government to prevent children and youth digital sex crimes thru undercover investigations The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF/ Minister Chung Young-ai) announced that the partially amended, which would take effect on Sep. 24, now enables punishing online grooming. As for the measures designed to eradicate digital sex crimes, MOGEF newly established viewing/advertising materials-related youth sex extortion as a crime in said amendment of the law and took a step for stronger punishment of said crime including imprisonment with hard labor and deletion for not more than three years or fine amounting to not more than 30 million won: continued/repetitive dialogues arousing sexual desire or causing humiliation, detestability for sexual extortion of youths online, or online grooming. The need to take steps to block acts aimed at sex extortion has been pointed out, considering the current surroundings where sex crimes-related methods become more subtle and young people can carry out cyber activities more easily with the development of information and communications technologies.

Thus, the relevant ministries came up with the amendment of said law to enable punishing online grooming aside from the aspect of crimes like rape or sex extortion-related materials. It is significant that online grooming has become punishable, and that the police have been able to carry out undercover investigations in an effort to prevent related crimes. Under said amendment of the law, the police is now allowed to engage in undercover investigations. The police can now approach a criminal and collect crime-related evidence and materials without identifying themselves.

The enforcement decree now has stipulations on the following: detailed methods of undercover investigations and procedure for obtaining approval, matters that should be reported to the Korean National Police Commission and National Assembly concerning undercover investigations as a way of controlling the police.

Especially, the enforcement decree now stipulates that investigating officers should neither cause innocent people to have criminal intent nor make young victims suffer additionally due to their investigation.

In the past, the “opportunity-providing” type of undercover investigation was allowed only within the scope recognized by precedents; hence the varying legitimacy of admissibility of evidence depending on the court’s after-fact judgment. However, said amendment of the law will provide the basis for more stable police investigations through the institutionalization of undercover investigations.

A virtual case of online grooming that had become punishable The other day, a Mrs. Park happened to see the contents of a social media message sent by her middle school daughter, and she was flabbergasted. Her daughter was exchanging sex-related talks with someone suspected to be a male on a level that could only be acceptable to adults. Worse, the guy was asking her to do a live of her sexual acts so that he could watch. With said amendment of the law, however, the whole situation has changed. Now, even online dialogues or solicitations designed for sex extortion are punishable by law. Youths or their parents can report such online dialogues to the police under the strengthened preventive functions of the law.

Conclusion Therefore, thanks to today's technology it is possible to guarantee greater protection against children who surf the internet from an early age. However, we must accept the idea that the more the world of social networks, for example, will develop over time, the more there will be the risk of possible forms of online violence. it is important that the children of our generation are educated about what is right to do and what is wrong. it is a very long and troubled process, but with a little patience it can certainly be improved.