July 15, 2019 12:42
People who have consensual sex with vulnerable minors will be punished with at least three years in jail under a new law aimed at strengthening protection for minors. The law goes into force Tuesday.
The revised laws stipulate that anyone who has sex with vulnerable teenagers aged 13 to 15 who run away from home or live in poverty will face a prison sentence of at least three years, regardless whether it was consensual or not.
Current law does not punish consensual sex with minors unless the victim has disability, but the new law aims to discourage vulnerable minors from trading sex for money, food or a place to sleep.
"We believe that young teenagers need to be protected as they lack full understanding of sexual relationships," a spokesman for the National Police Agency said.
Those who report sex crimes against children and teenagers will be rewarded with up to W1 million (US$1=W1,179).
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