"Juvenile Inmate Suffers Herniated Disc Due to Abuse"—Condemnation of Seoul Juvenile Detention Center Abuse... Petition Filed with Human Rights Commission

"The petitioner, born in 2009, was diagnosed with a herniated disc after leaving the Seoul Juvenile Detention Center. When the mother asked what had happened, she learned that corporal punishment was a regular occurrence inside the center, and that her child had even been subjected to physical assault."
Attorney Im Han-gyeol stated at the press conference in front of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) on the morning of the 26th, "Although this is a school facility, not a prison, such inhumane practices persist." Im Han-gyeol, representing the 2009-born victim who experienced corporal punishment and abuse at the Seoul Juvenile Detention Center, has filed a petition with the NHRCK.
Six organizations, including the Public Interest Law Center Fighting Chance, MINBYUN Committee on the Rights of the Child and Youth, Catholic Human Rights Committee, and Youth Human Rights Movement JIEUM, participated in the press conference. They condemned the corporal punishment and abuse of juvenile inmates at the Seoul Juvenile Detention Center and called for a thorough investigation by the NHRCK and the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), as well as improvements to guidance practices and disciplinary procedures.

According to attorney Im Han-gyeol, from February to June, during the period of detention at the Seoul Juvenile Detention Center, A repeatedly suffered abuse, including being forced into the reflection posture by night-shift staff. Im explained, "The reflection posture requires one to keep their knees bent backward, hands on their knees, and maintain a painful back position—it's even harder than a horse-riding stance. For reasons as trivial as being in a bad mood or not following instructions, teachers would order the reflection posture and, if there was any deviation, would push the student with their foot, subjecting them to this abuse for 30 minutes to an hour. There were also instances where the student was taken to places without CCTV and made to lie face down."
Attorney Im emphasized, "Corporal punishment is not part of student guidance. If a juvenile inmate violates regulations, a disciplinary committee must be convened and disciplinary action taken according to procedure. Such abuse is not included in these procedures." He added, "Recognizing the need to investigate the full extent of human rights violations occurring within the center, we have filed a petition with the NHRCK." Im called for the immediate cessation of corporal punishment in the center and urged the Minister of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to discipline and investigate the head of the Seoul Juvenile Detention Center and the responsible staff.
Youth human rights activist Nanda noted, "Our legal system remains inadequate, and social perceptions are still tolerant of corporal punishment. The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has consistently recommended that Korean society address the issue of corporal punishment and has highlighted it in its comments." Nanda further asserted, "No form of punishment that inflicts physical pain or demeans the dignity of children and adolescents can ever be justified," and called on the NHRCK to conduct a comprehensive investigation.
Additionally, Kang Seong-jun of the Catholic Human Rights Committee criticized the reflection posture as an inhumane punishment that forces individuals to abandon their dignity, and stressed the need to investigate whether similar cases exist at other juvenile detention centers. Byun Sang-cheol, director of the Public Interest Law Center Fighting Chance, suggested that the resocialization education system for juvenile inmates should also be reformed.
psh@fnnews.com Park Seong-hyun Reporter