Forged Juvenile ID Cards
Recently, more and more innocent shops are being hit with suspension-of-business orders because of ID cards that juveniles have forged. On top of that, some juveniles use forged ID cards to buy alcohol or cigarettes and then use that to blackmail the shop. Because these ID cards are easy to buy through social media and the like, they are becoming increasingly accessible. According to reported cases, forgeries made from the same material as a real ID card are selling for anywhere from hundreds of thousands of won up to around KRW 1 million. However, such conduct is not merely a youthful indiscretion but is treated as a serious crime that can lead to various charges and heavy punishment. In reality, even a juvenile can be put on criminal trial and sentenced to imprisonment.
Up to 10 Years of Imprisonment for Forging an ID Card
An ID card is a document issued by the state, so forging one can be punished as forgery of official documents. The forgery or alteration of official documents can carry a sentence of up to 10 years of imprisonment. In addition, where a forged ID card is used to make a transaction at a bar, convenience store, or similar establishment, the offense of unlawful use of an official document may also apply. This can result in imprisonment of up to 2 years or a criminal fine of up to KRW 5 million. Where someone uses a forged ID card to deceive another person and obtain a financial benefit, this can amount to fraud, and because fraud is also a serious crime carrying up to 10 years of imprisonment, even a juvenile aged 14 or older is highly likely to face criminal punishment.
High School Students as Drug Couriers
Beyond the kinds of cases above, drug crime has been increasing among middle and high school students in recent years, and the legal punishment for it is gradually becoming stricter. In practice, drug suppliers often direct juveniles to carry out the transport and pay them for doing so. Such transport is treated as part of the crime of drug distribution, and therefore even a minor is very likely to be sentenced to at least 1 year of imprisonment.
In a recent case, a high school student who smuggled in roughly KRW 700 million worth of ketamine hidden inside a pancake machine was indicted and detained, and a 19-year-old who transported methamphetamine and other psychotropic substances using the "drop" method was sentenced to up to 5 years of imprisonment. As these cases show, if a student takes part in a crime such as drug transport, it is expected to be difficult to avoid a heavy sentence. In the past, because the channels for obtaining drugs were limited, crimes by minors were relatively rare, and juvenile drug offenses were mostly met with protective measures or at most a suspended indictment. In recent years, however, as transactions through social media and cryptocurrency have increased, juvenile drug crime has surged, and harsh punishments are being handed down. Accordingly, given how serious these matters are, even a minor may have an arrest warrant requested against them and may be sentenced to imprisonment.
Teens and Drugs
There are many cases of juveniles being caught using and transporting drugs, and with the growth of online platforms such as social media, the black market has become more active, causing drug crime among minors to rise sharply. There have even been incidents of high school students collectively using and distributing fentanyl, and drug crime among minors is said to be surging. A teenager coming into contact with drugs may begin as simple curiosity. However, drugs act on the central nervous system and alter the function of brain nerve cells; while this may produce a pleasant feeling in the moment, it can cause serious problems in the long run. And taking drugs over a long period leads to higher doses and withdrawal symptoms, and coming into contact with drugs at a young age can lead to faster and deeper addiction.
One might assume that a teenage drug offender will receive a protective disposition, but since there is a precedent in which a juvenile who took part in transporting methamphetamine was sentenced to 5 years, imprisonment can also be imposed. If a minor purchased a large quantity of drugs, or sold or brokered them to others, a statutory sentence may be imposed where the nature of the offense is serious, even for a minor.
