By Jhoo Dong-chan
More than 20,000 children are reported missing each year in Korea, the National Police Agency said Sunday, on the eve of International Missing Children's Day.
While most of them have been located and returned home, and some are eventually found dead in accidents or in crimes, many remain lost and there are 751 such children, who are categorized as long-term missing, as of May 22.
Long-term missing children are those not found within 48 hours. Most of the 751 would be adults if they are alive.
Missing children can have a disastrous affect on families, especially parents who often suffer guilt and depression. Many also suffer financial difficulties because they quit work to search for the children and pay for leaflets and photos that are distributed across the country.
A study in 2009 showed that 43 percent of parents of long-term missing children quit or moved jobs.
"Parents of missing children focus on searching, resulting in financial difficulty, divorce, sickness, etc," said Seo Ki-won, head of the Find a Missing Child Association of Korea, who also lost his 10-year-old girl 21 years ago. "Along with measures to help people find missing children quickly, the country should provide mental therapy for such parents and financial support."
More than 20,000 children are reported missing each year in Korea, the National Police Agency said Sunday, on the eve of International Missing Children's Day.
While most of them have been located and returned home, and some are eventually found dead in accidents or in crimes, many remain lost and there are 751 such children, who are categorized as long-term missing, as of May 22.
Long-term missing children are those not found within 48 hours. Most of the 751 would be adults if they are alive.
Missing children can have a disastrous affect on families, especially parents who often suffer guilt and depression. Many also suffer financial difficulties because they quit work to search for the children and pay for leaflets and photos that are distributed across the country.
A study in 2009 showed that 43 percent of parents of long-term missing children quit or moved jobs.
"Parents of missing children focus on searching, resulting in financial difficulty, divorce, sickness, etc," said Seo Ki-won, head of the Find a Missing Child Association of Korea, who also lost his 10-year-old girl 21 years ago. "Along with measures to help people find missing children quickly, the country should provide mental therapy for such parents and financial support."
