Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn vowed Tuesday that the government will make utmost efforts to root out child abuse after a series of high-profile cases involving violence against children made headlines.

"The government will set up a system to root out child abuse by focusing its resources on tackling child abuse cases," Hwang said during a government meeting.

Participants at the meeting included the vice ministers of education, welfare and justice, as well as officials from relevant government agencies.

Hwang asked the government officials to cut the vicious circle of violence, noting a series of recent incidents of child abuse, asking them to focus on abused children who may be overlooked by society.

In February, a seven-year-old boy in Pyeongtaek, located 70 kilometers southeast of Seoul, died after three years of beating by his stepmother and father. His body was later discovered by police.

"Child abuse is a clear act of violence that goes against humanity and will not be tolerated under any circumstance," the top policymaker said.

The number of child abuse incidents in the country has nearly doubled over the past decade to about 13,076 in 2013, according to data compiled by the Korea Institute of Criminology in January. (Yonhap)