The total number of juveniles arrested decreased last year, but the proportion of drug and online crime cases involving teens increased, police data showed.
According to the National Police Agency, 64,595 teenagers aged between 14 and 18 were apprehended on criminal charges last year, down from 66,204 in 2019 and 66,259 in 2018.
But the agency said the number of teenagers nabbed for alleged drug crimes surged to 132 last year, from 72 in 2019 and 56 in 2018.
The tally of teen arrests for alleged cybercrimes also jumped - to 12,165 in 2020 from 9,651 in 2019 and 8,642 in 2018. In particular, allegations of fraud using mobile messenger services rose sharply, the police said.(Yonhap)
By Nam Kyung-don (
don@heraldcorp.com)
