1년에 2번 이상 아동학대 신고 땐 즉각 분리 보호…장애아동특화쉼터 18곳 확충

The government plans to strengthen its response to repeated child abuse reports, with a focus on protecting vulnerable children such as young and disabled ones. By next year, 18 specialized shelters dedicated to these children will be established across the country. This move comes in the wake of the tragic death of an 11-year-old boy in Cheonan who suffered from repeated abuse.

The new measures aim to address the gaps in existing systems, such as temporary and emergency protection for abused children, as well as the need for more thorough investigation of high-risk cases.

The guidelines for handling child abuse cases will be revised to include immediate separation and protection of the victim, in addition to temporary and emergency protection. Currently, such cases can receive temporary or emergency protection, but the separation component is lacking, leaving the victim exposed to ongoing abuse. The police will also share detailed information about reported abuse cases with local governments during their investigations.

A total of 113 new child abuse officers will be employed across the nation, and their response activities will be increased from 50,000 won per month to 100,000 won starting next year. Specialized shelters for abused children, particularly those with disabilities, will be expanded to 18 across the country by next year, compared to the current 12. Authorities will consider sharing information about a child's education history and compulsory education exemptions when conducting high-risk assessments.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to enhance collaboration between government agencies, including information sharing between the social welfare and education systems, to ensure timely dissemination of relevant data during compulsory education exemptions or waivers. Additionally, 35,855 children under the age of six who missed mandatory vaccinations in the first round, as well as 199 others who were referred to police investigations, underwent a first round of assessments last May to July. The second round of assessments will cover the remaining 30,000 children.