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By Kim Jae-heun
Seven out of 10 people found guilty of child abuse were only fined or put on probation from 1998 and 2016, according to a report from a state-run institute, Sunday.
The latest document, released by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, showed that 339 out of 532 trials for child abuse, or 63.7 percent, during the given period ended up with suspended sentences, while assailants involved in 60 child abuse cases, or 11.3 percent, were fined.
In 2010, only two out of 17 cases were criminals sent to jail, with 11 trials resulting in probation and fines.
A total of 133 criminals were imprisoned for child abuse over the last 19 years, which accounts for only 25 percent of all cases, and the offenders served no more than three-and-half years' jail.
The rulings were even worse for child abuse cases that led to death.
Since 2001, 10 criminals among 32 indictments for the crime of child abuse have been sentenced to probation. Their crimes included involuntary manslaughter and foul play.
However, these trends have been changing since 2014, when the special laws on child abuse were enacted after two brutal abuse cases in which a child as killed in Ulsan, South Gyeongsang Province, and another in Chilgok, North Gyeongsang Province.
No offender has been granted probation since 2015 and sentences have increased to a maximum of 20 years.
