"Afraid Before Release" Family of Jodusun Case Victim Considering Leaving Ansan

Opposition Proposes 'Jodusun Isolation Law'
"Jodusun Isolation Law Must Be Enacted" Yoon Hwa-seop, Ansan Mayor, 청 National Petition

Kim Jeong-jae (right), Chairman of the Special Committee on Sexual Violence Countermeasures of the People Power Party, and Lee Soo-jung are talking before the press conference announcing the first bill held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 23rd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Jo Doo-soon (68), a child sex offender, has announced that he will return to Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, where he originally lived, after his release in December. Meanwhile, the victim's family has reportedly decided to move.

Kim Jeong-jae, a member of the People Power Party, said at a press conference for the party's Special Committee on Sexual Violence Countermeasures held at the National Assembly on the 23rd, "I met the family of Jo Doo-soon's victim in person. They are trembling with fear knowing that Jo Doo-soon plans to return to Ansan after his release," adding, "As his release approaches, they are so scared that they have decided to move."

He continued, "It is not easy due to the limitations of government policies. Since the victim's family has decided to move, the state must provide all possible support," emphasizing, "If the government is willing, support can be provided under the Crime Victim Protection Act. I hope they will take active measures."

Additionally, Kim, the chairperson of the special committee, announced that on the 24th, he will respectively propose the Stalking Crime Punishment Act (Stalking Prevention Act) and the Protective Custody Act (Jo Doo-soon Isolation Act).

Professor Lee Soo-jeong of Kyonggi University explained, "The stalking act was defined separately from other crimes. It is still difficult to say that the social norm that stalking behavior is unacceptable is widely shared, so the bill defines it in detail," adding, "This does not mean we want to punish indiscriminately."

Professor Lee said, "It defines that such illegal and anxiety-inducing behavior is unacceptable," and "I expect this law to contribute to a new kind of social norm regarding stalking behavior in the future."

She also emphasized, "There have been countless discussions about the need to prepare ahead of Jo Doo-soon's release. It is personally regrettable that the (protective custody) bill is only now being introduced," adding, "The perpetrator lives freely and moves around, but how long must the victim bear the anxiety? The victim's life is likely to be ruined. The victim's fear is just beginning. This legislation must be enacted."

On the 23rd, a petition urging the enactment of the Protective Custody Act, commonly known as the 'Jo Doo-soon Isolation Law,' was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board. Photo by Blue House National Petition Board capture.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Yoon Hwa-seop, mayor of Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, posted a message on the Blue House National Petition Board urging the enactment of the Protective Custody Act. The Protective Custody Act refers to a law that requires child sex offenders and others to be isolated from society and managed and supervised in protective custody facilities even after their release. As of 8 p.m. that day, the petition had received more than 25,000 signatures.

In his petition, Mayor Yoon stated, "Not only the family of the victim in the Jo Doo-soon case but also many citizens hope that Jo Doo-soon will be isolated for a certain period after his release," adding, "On behalf of the citizens of Ansan, I petition for the enactment of the 'Protective Custody Act.'"

He addressed concerns about double punishment and human rights violations related to the Protective Custody Act, saying, "The protective custody system targeting child sex offenders, habitual sex offenders, and serial murderers aims to protect law-abiding citizens and prevent crime through different purposes, facilities, and treatments than prisons," and argued, "Since the focus is not on punishment but on preventing recidivism and rehabilitation of the offender, it is a 'non-punitive security measure.'"

He also added that if the application criteria are set at the time of the offender's social reintegration rather than the time of the criminal act, retroactive application controversies can be eliminated, and it can be applied to Jo Doo-soon as well.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.