By Yi Whan-woo
Over 3,000 teenagers were booked between 2010 and 2011 for stealing or tampering with identification (ID) cards, according to police Friday.
The National Police Agency said that a total of 1,507 teenagers aged under 19 committed the same crimes in 2010, followed by 1,503 in 2011.
The teens replaced photos in other person’s IDs with their own or forged dates of births on their IDs to buy cigarettes and alcohol.
Municipal and provincial authorities issue resident registration cards to each citizen when he or she reaches 17-years-old. Teenagers are prohibited from buying cigarettes and liquor by law until they are 19.
Those who altered their own cards were aged between 17 and 18; and mostly used a knife to scratch off their date of birth before filling in one to make them appear older.
Police added the middle and high school students aged under 17 purchased stolen IDs through an online black market, and replaced photos on the IDs with their own.
“Last year, we found a number of teenagers requesting on the Internet that they seek to buy an ID of a citizen who was born in 1993 and just turned 19,” police said. “They did not feel guilty about their behavior.”
Those charged with tampering with government-issued IDs and documents are subject to up to 10 years in prison, police said. They added those who also buy and use fake ones can face a prison term up to two years or a fine of up to 5 million won ($4,700).
“At the same time, owners at mom-and-pop stores and supermarkets should make sure to check the IDs of young customers when they ask for cigarettes or alcoholic beverages,” an officer said. “If such buyers turn out to be aged under 19, the owners could serve jail time of up to two years or pay a fine of up to 10 million won ($9,400).”