Seoul to bolster response system, sentencing for kidnapping attempts

The South Korean government announced a set of measures on Tuesday to strengthen its response to kidnapping and child luring crimes, including prioritizing police dispatch, strengthening laws and increasing punishments.

The plan, jointly released by the Ministry of Interior and Safety, the Korean National Police Agency, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, was announced following a string of recent kidnapping attempts targeting elementary school students.

In late August, three men in their 20s were arrested for attempting to kidnap children near an elementary school in Seodaemun-gu, western Seoul. A chain of similar incidents was reported afterward, igniting concerns among the public.

The government pointed to weak punishment, difficulty proving criminal intent and lack of public awareness of the seriousness of such crimes as key reasons why they continue to occur.

“In many cases, kidnapping cases were casually dismissed as a mere ‘form of play,’ making it difficult for police to prove criminal intent,” said Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung during Tuesday’s press briefing. When there is no sexual motive behind such offenses, perpetrators often face lighter charges.

Under the new policy proposed by the government, all reports made to law enforcement involving children will be treated as Code 1 cases to ensure immediate police dispatch, investigation and protection for the affected child. Cases labeled as Code 1 cannot be closed arbitrarily and must go through a joint committee review before closing.

Cases deemed to be serious, such as those that pose direct harm to a child's life, will be overseen directly by local police station chiefs in close proximity to where the call is made.

For kidnapping cases involving strangers with no prior contact with the child or the child’s family, police will be permitted to immediately seek pretrial detention warrants. If needed, emotional abuse charges under the Child Welfare Act may also be applied against the perpetrator. In the most serious cases, the government said it would push for the public disclosure of suspects’ identities.

“The government also plans to tighten sentencing guidelines and raise statutory penalties to better deter such crimes and emphasize that they will not be taken lightly,” Yun added. Under current law, cases related to child abduction or luring are punishable by up to 10 years in prison, but as there is no minimum term, it often results in lenient sentences.

A bill to strengthen prison terms to a minimum of 1 to 3 years and a maximum of 15 years is currently pending before the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

The government’s response plan also focused on making school zones safer through environmental and community-level interventions such as providing immersive safety education, stationing school patrols and handing out protective equipment such as safety alarms capable of reaching up to 120 decibels and whistles.

Police, local governments and education offices will also collaborate to inspect crime-prone areas near schools and install more security cameras where they are lacking. Security camera footage may also be used later by the police when reports are filed to help authorities determine the perpetrators’ intent.

The number of safety patrol personnel stationed at schools nationwide will also increase. Currently, 10,811 personnel are deployed across the country, but the government plans to add 410 more to enhance student safety during commuting hours. Police officers will also be dispatched near schools to further strengthen safety measures.

Real-time pick-up and drop-off alerts as well as "walking school bus" programs, where safety personnel help students get to and from school safely, will now be offered to all elementary school students across the country, after being previously limited to first- and second-graders.

The government also plans to expand immersive safety education using role-playing scenarios, alongside public awareness campaigns on kidnapping crimes.

Yun said the new government strategy requires a community approach.

“Eliminating child abduction and luring crimes is a task that must be tackled by the central and local governments — and by all citizens together,” he said. “We will take the lead in creating a safe, reliable school commute for all children.”

According to the Interior Ministry, there were 741 reported cases related to kidnapping or luring between 2023 and October 2025. Of these cases, 53 percent were forwarded to prosecutors, and suspects were detained in 13 percent of them.