South Korean police detain 12-year-olds in rare crackdown on young offenders

South Korean police have taken the rare step of placing three 12-year-old boys in juvenile facilities after they allegedly stole cars and drove without licences in two separate incidents within a week, underscoring growing concern over serious offences committed by children too young to face criminal prosecution. Police in Cheonan, a city about 90km south of Seoul, said on June 17 that the boys had been placed in juvenile protection facilities following a series of car thefts in May. “These...

By SCMP’s Asia desk