Stalled Introduction of 'Day-Fine System' for Fines Based on Assets

Amid concerns that young people may be unable to pay fines due to economic hardship, arguments for introducing a 'day-fine system' that adjusts fines according to an individual's assets persist, but actual legislation has yet to materialize. This system has been discussed for over 30 years since 1992, and despite 11 bills being proposed in the National Assembly, it has not yet been implemented.

The primary obstacles to introducing the system are the difficulty in assessing income and assets for current fine calculations and the need to shift the sentencing system, which currently favors imprisonment. South Korea lacks concrete system design and social consensus. The 'day-fine system' has been in effect in countries like Finland since 1921, followed by Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland.

While the introduction of a macro-level system is delayed, it is pointed out that alternatives such as expanding suspended sentences for fines or allowing long-term installment payments, which could immediately help at-risk youth, are either insufficient in effectiveness or are not being pursued.

Recent data shows a pronounced difficulty among young people in paying fines, with individuals in their 20s and 40s accounting for 85.2% of the 196 loan approvals by the 'Jean Valjean Bank' over the past year. It is argued that while suspended sentences for fines lead to the extinction of the payment obligation upon expiration of the probation period, this is rarely applied in summary orders.