A court has decided to send a teenager to juvenile court instead of imposing criminal punishment. The teen was hired to carry out a revenge-for-hire job, spray-painted the front door of another person's home and distributed flyers containing false claims about the victim.

Judge Ko So-young of Criminal Single Panel No. 9 at the Seoul Southern District Court decided on November 11 to refer the case of a teenager surnamed Choo to the juvenile division of the Jeonju District Court. Choo was indicted on charges including trespassing, property damage and defamation through the dissemination of false information.

A referral to juvenile court can result in protective measures instead of criminal punishment. Under the Juvenile Act, there are 10 types of protective measures, ranging from placement under a guardian's supervision (No. 1) to long-term commitment to a juvenile detention center (No. 10).

Choo is accused of spray-painting the front door of the victim's home in Seoul's Gangseo-gu district red and scattering soy sauce and flour there at around 4:50 p.m. on July 22. Investigators also found that he distributed flyers containing false claims about the victim.

Investigators determined that Choo committed the crimes after receiving money from an unidentified person through Telegram.

The court said, "Crimes related to revenge-for-hire have recently become a very serious problem. The defendant committed acts that are highly deserving of social condemnation, including trespassing and damaging property to receive payment, without recognizing that they were illegal." However, it added, "The defendant has admitted to all of the charges, and as an 18-year-old, we believe he can improve through guidance and education in the future."

A court has decided to send a teenager to juvenile court instead of imposing criminal puni …

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