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Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Republic of Korea (RATIFICATION: 2001)

Other comments on C182

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The Committee takes note of the Government’s report, of the observations of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and of the Government’s reply to these observations, all received on 28 September 2022.

Articles 3(b) and 7(1) of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour and penalties. Use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances. The Committee takes due note of the Government’s information, in its report, regarding the measures taken to continue protecting children under 18 years of age from commercial sexual exploitation. In particular, the Government indicates that it strengthened the legal protection on children and youth victimized by sexual prostitution by revising the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sex Offences in 2020 and adopting the Act on the Prevention of Human Trafficking and Protection of Victims in 2021. The Government also indicates that 157 prosecutors specialized in crimes against women and children were designated to protect children under the age of 18 from commercial sexual exploitation.

The Committee notes the FKTU’s observation that, despite the Government’s efforts to protect children from sexual exploitation, there are still challenges. In particular, the FKTU observes that specific implementation efforts are needed for children who are involved in prostitution and sexual abuse to be treated as victims rather than delinquents.

In this regard, the Committee notes, from the Government’s reply, that the amendments to the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sex Offences of 2020 define children and youth forced into commercial sex as “victimized children and youth,” rather than “targeted children and youth” and that, as such, they are referred to a protection facility, counselling facilities or to programmes for educational counselling and support provided by support centres (as of 2022, there were 17 centres across the country). The Government also indicates that the police has continued to educate and advise policemen on duty about the fact that children and youth becoming an object of an act of buying sex are victims, rather than suspects. The Committee encourages the Government to continue to take the necessary measures to ensure the protection of children under 18 years of age from commercial sexual exploitation. It requests the Government to provide information on the application of the amended Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sex Offences and the Prevention of Human Trafficking and Protection of Victims of 2021 with regard to the commercial sexual exploitation of children, including the use, procuring and offering of children for prostitution, the production of pornography or for pornographic performances, by providing statistics on convictions and the penal sanctions imposed. Finally, it requests the Government to provide information on the number of child victims of commercial sexual exploitation who have been referred to support centres and received assistance.