The issue arrested public attention last month with the shocking case of a nine-year-old girl being brutally raped and maimed for life.
Many were alerted to the fact that protecting children is an imperative for society at large.
Crimes against children have also become a hot potato in the regular hearings held by the Health, Welfare and Family Affairs Committee of the National Assembly.
The need for legislature
[Interview : Kim Hye-ryeong, Teacher
Modang Elementary School
] "Since last year, we've been running an after-school center called the Kkumnamu Ansim School. With offenses against minors on the rise, many parents are looking for a safe place to leave their kids while they're at work. So public schools are now getting involved."
As well as providing a place to stay, a variety of extra curricular and academic programs are open to the young students.
The Kkumnamu Ansim School helps reduce the burden of private tuition as well as giving parents a little peace of mind.
[Interview : Yoo Geon-hui, 2nd grader
Modang Elementary School] "My mom and dad both go to work, so I like it better here than staying at home alone."
[Interview : Won Chae-yeong, 1st grader
Modang Elementary School] "Here, I can study and have fun with my friends and eat good meals. I like it."
The effort to protect children is going on outside of school as well.
A neighborhood safe house program has been initiated in 2008.
The aim is to provide sanctuaries that children can flee to when they face the threat of abduction.
[Interview : Pyo Chang-won, Professor
Korea National Police University] "Most pedophiles and sex offenders will follow their needs, desires and impulses to commit these crimes, whenever and wherever. As a group, they are regarded as a menace due to the high rate of repeat offenses. So discussion is currently underway to come up with a better control system, one that will be systematic and thorough in keeping tabs on known pedophiles."
A society in which its youngest members can enjoy life in all their juvenile gaiety.
To achieve this ideal, harsh punishment and a tight grip will have to be maintained to contain those that would violate the sanctity of childhood.
OCT 12, 2009
|
|
 |
in National News |
|
|
Arirang Town
Wednesday, FEB 10, 2010, (KST) 
