56Playgrounds are typically spaces for recreation, but accidents involving children can raise complex legal questions about responsibility and compensation. Under South Korean civil law, when a minor who is not legally responsible causes harm, the person with a legal duty to supervise the child – usually a parent or guardian – may be held liable for the damage. This principle is commonly referred to as “supervisor responsibility”.
The issue was highlighted in a court case involving a playground accident during Children’s Day celebrations in 2022. A two-year-old child reportedly ran toward a swing being used by his grandfather at a park. As the man attempted to move away to avoid the child, he fell and suffered severe spinal injuries that resulted in permanent paraplegia.
The injured man sought compensation through liability insurance policies held by family members. The court ruled that the child’s parents bore 70 percent of the responsibility due to insufficient supervision, while the grandfather was assigned 30 percent of the liability because he had been using the swing when the child approached.
The case has drawn attention to how civil liability laws can apply in everyday environments such as playgrounds when injuries occur involving children.
