The Prevention of Trafficking in Persons, Etc. and Victim Protection Act

Brief Description

The Prevention of Trafficking in Persons, Etc. and Victim Protection Act was enacted on April 20, 2021 and will be enforced on January 1, 2023. The Act provides for the definition of the term “trafficking in persons, etc.” in alignment with international norms, including those of the United Nations; establishment of a government-wide integrated response system; and early identification, protection, and support for victims. The Act is significant for the Republic of Korea as it integrated relevant acts of crime formerly spread across 11 different laws, including the Criminal Act, into crimes such as “trafficking in persons, etc.” and addressed the problematic definition of trafficking in persons in the existing Criminal Act. This new law established a unified system for promoting anti-trafficking in persons policies and a legal foundation for offering customized support to victims across the entire process of identification of victimization, protection, and support.