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Government Laws

Juvenile Protection Act

(Source: retrieved 2001, from Protection Project Web site: http://www.protectionproject.org/)

Article 26-2 (Prohibition of Acts Harmful to Juveniles): No one shall perform the act falling under each of the following subparagraphs:

The act of having juveniles sexually entertain through their physical contacts and the exposure of their sexual organs for the purpose of making profits, and other act of arranging such lascivious things;
The act of having juveniles drink with clienteles or entertain such clienteles songs and dance, and other act of arranging such entertaining things for the purpose of making profits;
The act of having juveniles perform the lascivious act for the purpose of making profits or entertainment;
The act of showing the physically deformed parts of juveniles to the public for the purpose of making profits or entertainment;
The act of having juveniles beg for money or goods or using them as a means to beg for money or goods;
The act of abusing juveniles;
The act of having juveniles lure customers on the street for the purpose of making profits;
The act of disrupting public morality by permitting male and female juveniles to sleep on the same beds and other act of providing a place to that end; and
Deleted [by Act No. 6261, Feb 3, 2000]

{This Article Newly Inserted by Act No. 5817, Feb 5, 1999}

CHAPTER IV: JUVENILE PROTECTION COMMITTEE

Article 27 (Establishment of Juvenile Protection Committee): The Juvenile Protection Committee shall be established under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister to carry out the business of protecting juveniles under the provisions of this Act.
[This Article Wholly Amended by Act No. 5817, Feb. 5, 1999]

Article 28 (Function of Juvenile Protection Committee):
(1)	The Juvenile Protection Committee shall implement business matters falling under each of the following subparagraphs: [Amended by Act No. 5817, Feb. 5, 1999] Matters concerning the establishment of basic plans for protecting juveniles against harmful environments and the appraisal of the progress status of basic plans; Matters concerning the regulation of circulation of media materials harmful to juveniles, and the support for media materials beneficial to juveniles; Matters concerning the protection of juveniles against business places harmful to them; Matters concerning the protection of juveniles against drugs, etc. harmful to them; Matters concerning the conduct of education, publicity, treatment, and Rehabilitation, etc. for juveniles in order to protect them from violence and abuse; Matters concerning the receipt and handling of reports on the environment harmful to juveniles, and necessary survey, research and education for protecting juveniles from such environments; Matters concerning support for private sector organizations performing functions related to the protection of juveniles against the environments harmful to them, and the support for civil movements organized to clean up such environments; Matters concerning cooperation and support among administrative agencies for the purpose of protecting juveniles; Matters requested by the heads of relevant central government agencies with Regard to the protection of juveniles; and Matters provided for, as being under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Protection Committee, under this Act and other Acts and subordinate statutes.
(2)	The Juvenile Protection Committee shall implement policy measures falling Under any of the following subparagraphs in relation to education, publicity, treatment and rehabilitation to protect juveniles: [Newly inserted by Act No. 5817, Feb 5, 1999] The formulation, implementation and assessment of plans for education and publicity necessary to protect juveniles from media materials, establishments, and drugs, which are all harmful to them, violence and abuse against them, and the environment harmful to them; The installation and operation of facilities and the designation of treatment and rehabilitation facilities of national and public hospitals as well as general hospitals established under the Medical Service Act through consultations with the Minister of Health and Welfare for juveniles who have suffered from media materials harmful to them, drugs, establishments harmful to them, violence, abuse and environment harmful to them; and Administrative and financial support for organizations and individuals engaged in activities on education, publicity, treatment and rehabilitation for juveniles who have suffered from media materials harmful to them, drugs, establishments harmful to them, violence, abuse and the environment harmful to them.

Article 33 (Organization and Operation):
(1)	The Juvenile Protection Committee may set up and operate subcommittees in order to specialize in those affairs falling under its jurisdiction.
(2)	A secretariat shall be appointed in the Juvenile Protection Committee in order to deal with the affairs of the committee.
(3)	Necessary matters concerning the organization and operation of the Juvenile Protection Committee other than those prescribed under this Act shall be prescribed by the Presidential Decree.

Article 33-2 (Juvenile Protection Center, etc.):
(1)	A juvenile protection center may be established under the Juvenile Protection Committee to protect temporarily juveniles from violence, abuse and the environment, etc. harmful to them.
(2)	The juvenile protection center may have lawyers specializing in juvenile affairs to provide legal assistance and counseling including the process attorney to juveniles who have suffered damages.
(3)	A juvenile rehabilitation center may be established under the Juvenile Protection Committee to help juveniles rehabilitate, who have suffered from violence, abuse, and drugs.
(4)	Detailed matters concerning the juvenile protection center and the juvenile rehabilitation center referred to in paragraphs (1) and (3) shall be prescribed by the Presidential Decree. [This Article Newly Inserted by Act No. 5817, Feb. 5, 1999]

Article 49-2 (Penal Provisions) Any person who has violated the provisions of subparagraph 1 of Article 26-2, shall be punished by imprisonment with prison labor for not less than one year, but not more than 10 years.
[This Article Newly Inserted by Act No. 5817, Feb 5, 1999]

Article 49-3 (Penal Provisions) Any person, who has violated the provisions of subparagraph 2 or 3 of Article 26-2, shall be punished by imprisonment with prison labor for not more than 10 years.
[This Article Newly Inserted by Act No. 5817, Feb 5, 1999]

Article 49-4 (Penal Provisions) Any person who has violated subparagraphs 4 through 6 of Article 26-2, shall be punished by imprisonment with prison labor for not more than 5 years.
[This Article Newly Inserted by Act No. 5817, Feb 5, 1999]