The police in Jeonnam arrested a teenager who stole a car and caused an accident. The teenager, aged over 14, faced legal consequences for his actions. There are concerns about how parents should take responsibility for minors without legal capacity.
The teenager drove a stolen car and caused an accident on the highway, but was caught by the police while trying to escape. Despite trying to deceive the police with lies, the teenager was identified through CCTV footage. The police are considering whether to request an arrest warrant for the teenager.
In the case of this teenager, who is 18 years old, he is classified as a juvenile delinquent rather than a juvenile offender. Juvenile delinquents between the ages of 10 and under 14 are not subject to criminal punishment, but juvenile offenders aged 14 to under 19 are subject to the same criminal punishment as adults.
In this situation, the teenager could face criminal punishment for theft, property damage, and traffic law violations on the same level as adults. However, questions arise about how the teenager can compensate the car owner and the authorities who built the road.
Parents are responsible for their children’s actions, but this responsibility may vary depending on whether they fulfilled their duty to supervise their children. In cases where parents have financial difficulties, the extent of compensation may be reduced. Although juvenile offenders may be held responsible for compensation, the practicality of this solution is limited.
In a past case where a teenager committed theft and property damage at a store, the parents struggled to provide sufficient compensation to the victim. Despite attempts to enforce compensation through legal procedures, the process was not smooth.