When adults face criminal charges in Korea, the court usually gives a verdict—either guilty or not guilty—and sets a sentence.
Once that ruling is delivered, the legal process mostly ends, and the individual takes responsibility for their life from that point forward.
But juvenile cases work very differently.
Under Korea’s Juvenile Act, the court’s role does not stop at determining what kind of protective disposition a young person should receive.
Instead, the court continues to watch what happens after the decision—how the juvenile is doing, whether the ordered programs are properly carried out, and whether the current plan is still suitable for that child’s needs.
In other words, juvenile cases are not a “one-moment judgment.” They are an ongoing process, where the court stays involved to make sure the young person has the best chance to reform and return to a stable life.
A judge of the Juvenile Department reviews each juvenile’s situation carefully before deciding on one of several possible protective dispositions. These dispositions range widely in intensity.
Some dispositions involve returning the juvenile to a guardian or another adult who can safely take responsibility for them through consignment for care and custody.
Others may require the juvenile to follow an order to attend a lecture, perform community service, or receive guidance through short-term probation or long-term probation.
In more serious cases, dispositions may include consignment to an institution, such as a child welfare institution, or even transfer to the Juvenile Reformatory—which can be short-term or long-term depending on the juvenile’s needs.
When a juvenile needs medical or therapeutic support, the court may choose a disposition involving a juvenile medical care and protection institution, where specialized treatment is provided.
The court can add extra requirements—called additional dispositions—when a juvenile is placed under probation.
These may include a rule that the juvenile may not go out during certain hours. These are imposed as matters to be observed, tailored to the child’s situation.
Sometimes, the court may require the guardian to take part in a special education program as well, recognizing that a juvenile’s home environment can significantly influence behavior.
Even after issuing a disposition, the court remains involved through a system similar to “post-disposition supervision.”
The judge can ask a juvenile investigator, a probation officer, or even employees at the institution where the juvenile has been consigned to submit reports, explain how the disposition is being executed, or provide opinions on whether adjustments are needed.
The court may also give instructions related to the execution of the disposition, ensuring the juvenile receives the right guidance and care.
If the situation changes—perhaps the juvenile improves quickly, or new challenges arise—the judge can reconsider the existing disposition.
The court can change the disposition either upon application or ex officio(on its own authority).
To help clarify the explanation, I will use a hypothetical example. The individual mentioned in the example is identified by a pseudonym.
Robert(Pseudonym) received a protective disposition from the Family Court.
At first, the court chose a relatively light set of orders.
He was placed under probation, asked to take part in an educational program, and permitted to continue living in the community.
The hope was that with structure and support, he would grow and change positively.
But over time, things didn’t go as planned.
Robert repeatedly ignored instructions from his probation officer.
He failed to participate in the required educational sessions.
He even committed another minor violation during the probation period.
Court summonses were not followed.
These were not small mistakes—they were repeated violations of essential matters to be observed.
Seeing that the existing approach was no longer effective, the chief of the Probation Office filed an application requesting a change of dispositions, explaining that Robert’s non-compliance was serious and that managing him in the community was no longer appropriate.
The Family Court reviewed the situation again and agreed.
The original disposition was replaced with a stricter one: Robert was placed under long-term probation and also ordered to enter the Juvenile Reformatory for a short period, where he would receive intensive education and guidance.
Situations like Robert’s are not unusual in juvenile cases.
Adult criminal cases often end with the judgment.
But juvenile cases recognize something unique:
young people change—sometimes quickly, sometimes unpredictably.
Because of this, the law requires the court to keep paying attention even after the disposition is made.
The purpose is to ensure that the juvenile receives appropriate support and protection, and that the disposition truly helps them return to a stable life.
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