Confirmed cases of abuse against children in South Korea fell last year, but 44 children died of abuse, a government report showed Friday.

The number of confirmed child abuse cases recorded by authorities reached 25,739 in 2023, down some 8 percent from 27,971 a year ago, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Of the victims, 44 children died last year, with 18 of them being aged 3 or younger.

The report showed that 85.9 percent of the perpetrators were their parents.

“The government plans to bolster efforts to monitor the whereabouts and safety of children by utilizing data, such as those lacking medical check-up records, to quickly identify potential cases of abuse among children aged 2 years or younger,” the ministry said in a statement.

Source: Yonhap News Agency