B. Main Topics 1) “Filicide-Suicide” From the Perspective of Child Abuse A) Case of Missing Family - ‘Family Suicide’ and ‘Filicide-Suicide’ Article 4 of the ‘Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes’ stipulates that a person who commits a child abuse crime and causes the death of a child shall be punished by death penalty, or by imprisonment with labor for an indefinite term or for not less than 7 years. The crime of child abuse and murder is also applied if the abuse continues despite knowing that the act could result in the death of the child. On Jun. 25, 2022, Gwangju Nambu Police Station disclosed the disappearance of Cho family, including a 10-year-old child. The child requested to take a leave from school for external activities around Mary, but failed to attend school after the leave period had ended, and the school reported it to the police. While the family was missing, their financial circumstances, cell phone search records, CCTV images, and vehicle travel information became known through the media, and the family's disappearance received national attention. Eventually, on Jun. 28, their bodies were found in a vehicle in the sea near Songgok Port, Wando-gun. The Gwangju Nambu Police Station, on Aug. 2, analyzed the video from the vehicle black box and concluded that the parents committed suicide after giving sleeping pills to the child. The police applied the murder charge to the parents for the death of the child, but as they died, no charges were filed and the case was closed.283) Immediately after the disappearance of the Cho family became known, several media outlets used the expression ‘extreme choice’ for this case. However, the Korea Association for Suicide Prevention released a statement on Jul. 1, emphasizing that suicide after killing a child is a serious crime, and asked to refrain from excessive attention and hasty reporting on a specific case.284) Civil groups also expressed their opinion that suicide after murdering a child should be defined as child abuse and the government should establish appropriate measures.285) 283) Yonhap News, Missing family seems to have committed suicide... investigation to end, Aug. 2, 2022. 284) Statement by the Korea Association for Suicide Prevention, Jul. 1, 2022. 121