The Criminal Code of South Korea is the legal framework governing criminal offenses within the country.
The Codet is divided into two main parts:Part I: General Provisions (Articles 1-86) - Covers fundamental principles such as criminal liability, intent, negligence, attempt, joint principal offenders, and sentencing guidelines. Part II: Specific Provisions (Articles 87-372) - Defines individual crimes and their specific punishments. The Code applies to both Korean nationals and aliens committing crimes within South Korea's territory and to Korean nationals committing crimes outside the country.
The text specifies distinct criminal categories and their related legal penalties, covering insurrection and foreign aggression, crimes against public peace, explosives, official duties and corruption, perjury and evidence tampering, property and economic crimes (larceny, robbery, fraud, embezzlement), public order offences, and destruction of public property through arson or water inundation, among others. Additionally, the Code details penal definitions for individual crimes, clarifying precisely how completed acts and attempted violations are adjudicated.