Only 143 out of about 3,000 juvenile offenders found guilty of sexual crimes last year were sent to youth correction facilities, with a majority of them getting lighter punishment, Supreme Court data showed Friday.

According to the Supreme Court's 2024 judicial almanac, a total of 3,701 teenagers were tried for sexual offenses last year and 2,963 of them were found liable for their crimes and given "protective dispositions" designed for reformation.

Of those found guilty, only 4.8 percent, or 143, were sent to youth detention centers, while 1,794 people, or 60.5 percent, received lighter punishments, such as entrusting them to guardians, taking treatment courses, and engaging in social volunteer work.

Juvenile offenders younger than 19 can be criminally indicted or their cases can be sent to juvenile departments of regional or family courts that can sentence them to community service, protective probation or youth correctional facilities.

These punishments leave no criminal records. (Yonhap)