By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter

The government has drafted an amendment to the civil law to lower the legal adult age from the current 20-years-old to 19, the Justice Ministry said on Wednesday.

``The ministry has drafted a revision bill to bring down the legal adult age by one year to meet demands from society,’’ a ministry official said.

If the government’s bill is passed in the National Assembly, 19 year-olds will be permitted to exercise property rights and make legally-binding contracts independently from next year.

They will also be able to marry without parents’ consent. The current law states men over 18 and women over 16 can marry, but they need consent from parents if they are younger than 20.

If the revision bill gets approval from the legislature, there would be changes in other laws on the definition of the adult age. Currently, election laws permit that only those aged 20 or older can cast votes in elections, but the age will likely be lowered to 19.

If the election laws are rewritten, most college freshmen will be able to vote in elections.

Ministry officials said the bill will be presented to the National Assembly as early as this month for enactment.

A committee in the Justice Ministry on Wednesday held a meeting at the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office in Seoul to finalize the draft bill.

There are different definitions of the adult age according to different laws. Under the Youth Protection Law, one is regarded an adult if he or she is older than 19. Adults having sex with those under 19 are subject to legal punishment. People younger than 19 cannot enter bars and nightclubs, or purchase adult-only materials under the law.

Those older than 14 are considered adults under the criminal law and are subject to judicial punishment.

jj@koreatimes.co.kr