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A group of legislators led by Grand National Party lawmaker Kim Ok-lee is pushing for a bill that would lift the statute of limitations on child sex crime. Kim and 30 legislators from the ruling and opposition parties submitted the bill that would scrap the statute of limitations on sex crimes against children and adolescents and dramatically reinforce punishment. The current statute of limitations is 10 years, up from seven following a 2007 amendment.
The bill would increase the minimum jail term for raping children under the age of 13 from seven years to 10, and the minimum sentence for sexually molesting children under 13 from three years to five. The minimum sentence for rape of minors between 13 and 19 would be raised to seven years, and for sexually molesting them to two years.
Kim claimed the number of sex crimes against children was growing, with some 1,220 reported to the police last year. She said the bill would reduce the figure.
The Ministry of Justice is unconvinced. Kim Tae-ho, a prosecutor at the Criminal Legislation Division at the Justice Ministry, said, "It has been only a year since the statute of limitations was extended, and we should observe more on how effective the new rules are." He added the matter was also linked to international human rights issues, so it was not easily resolved.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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