A petition has been filed on South Korea's National Assembly website demanding the age of sexual consent be raised from 16 to 19. This comes after South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun denied allegations of a past relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron during her teenage years. The petition, submitted on March 31, has sparked widespread public debate.
According to the petitioner, recent allegations of sexual misconduct by Kim Soo-hyun when Kim Sae-ron was a minor have outraged the public. However, current South Korean laws reportedly prevent legal action against Kim Soo-hyun.
Under existing legislation, engaging in sexual relations with individuals aged between 13 and 16 is considered statutory rape, regardless of consent. The petitioner argued that this limited protection allowed a promising young actress to be exploited from childhood, ultimately leading to her tragic death, while alleged offenders escape legal repercussions.
To prevent such incidents, the petition proposes the enactment of a "Kim Soo-hyun Prevention Act," which would raise the age of protection for statutory rape from 16 to 19 and impose stricter penalties.
As of April 1, the petition had garnered over 17,000 signatures within 24 hours of its submission. In South Korea, if a petition secures more than 50,000 signatures within 30 days, it is forwarded to the National Assembly's relevant standing committee for review and potential submission to a plenary session.
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