Reports of child abuse, domestic violence surge during Chuseok holiday
Police data found an upward trend over the years, with experts attributing the spike to families spending prolonged time together.
An AI-generated image of a bunny doll
CHATGPT
While the Chuseok harvest festival holiday is traditionally a time for families to spend time together, in some households, the dayslong gathering can open the door to a surge in child abuse and domestic violence.
Reports of child abuse during last year’s Chuseok holiday jumped more than 70 percent from the previous year, while domestic violence reports rose more than 50 percent, according to police data released by Rep. Kim Joon-hwan of the Democratic Party (DP) on Wednesday, a day ahead of the holiday.
According to the data, police received 690 reports of child abuse from Oct. 3 through 9, when Chuseok was observed last year. The figure was up 72.5 percent from the 400 reports filed during the 2024 Chuseok holiday spanning Sept. 14 through 18, a substantial increase even considering that last year’s holiday was two days longer than in 2024.
The number of child abuse reports during the 2024 holiday had declined slightly from the 432 recorded in 2023, but the daily average actually increased from 72 to 80.
Domestic violence reports also increased sharply during last year’s holiday. The number of domestic violence reports during Chuseok fell from 5,623 in 2023 to 5,246 in 2024 before surging to 8,017 last year, an increase of 52.8 percent in one year. The daily average also rose each year, from 937 reports in 2023 to 1,049 in 2024 and 1,145 last year.
Those figures were also higher than usual.
The annual daily average for domestic violence reports stood at 632 in 2023, 648 in 2024 and 793 in 2025, meaning reports during Chuseok were as much as 60 percent higher than on ordinary days.
Experts attribute the increase largely to family members who normally live apart spending extended periods together during the holiday, which causes accumulated tensions to erupt at once. Increased public awareness of domestic violence and child abuse may also have contributed to a rise in reports.
Conflicts over preparing holiday food, feelings of relative deprivation within families and conversations that can lead to personal criticisms can contribute to an increase in domestic violence and also spill over into child abuse, according to experts.
Annual statistics also show an upward trend in reports of domestic violence and child abuse. Domestic violence reports increased from 230,830 in 2023 to 236,647 in 2024 and 289,368 in 2025. Child abuse reports similarly rose from 28,292 in 2023 to 29,735 in 2024 and 36,255 in 2025.
Experts stress the need for active intervention, including swiftly separating perpetrators from victims, because domestic violence and child abuse can escalate into more serious criminal cases. Police plan to strengthen victim protection from the moment reports of domestic violence and other crimes involving personal relationships are received during this year’s holiday and take strict action against perpetrators.
“For some people, the Chuseok holiday, which should be a time of abundance and joy, is being marred by violence and trauma,” Rep. Kim said. “We need to build a comprehensive social safety net that can proactively identify and protect families at risk during the holiday period.”
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
