Jodusun to be Released in December... Ministry of Justice States "Risk of Recidivism Exists"

On the morning of September 18th, participants are taking a commemorative photo at the 'Meeting to Establish Measures to Prevent Recidivism of Jo Doo-soon' held at Ansan City Hall, Gyeonggi Province. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] With Jo Doo-soon's release scheduled for December 13, the Ministry of Justice's assessment that "there is a risk of reoffending based on a preliminary interview" has come to light, highlighting the urgent need for countermeasures.

According to the "Post-Release Recidivism Prevention Measures Report" disclosed on the 4th by Kim Do-eup of the People Power Party, the Ministry of Justice evaluated Jo Doo-soon as having "a risk of reoffending based on the preliminary interview results."

The Ministry of Justice's judgment was based on a preliminary interview conducted by the probation office with Mr. Jo.

During the interview, Jo Doo-soon stated, "I am aware that there is a lot of social attention on me, and I regret my wrongdoing," adding, "I will live properly from now on." His wife also reportedly said, "I still have affection and will take responsibility until the end."

However, the Ministry of Justice focused on Jo Doo-soon's response that "there is no concrete plan for social life after release." They also pointed out that most of Jo Doo-soon's 18 offenses occurred while under the influence of alcohol. They are considering the possibility that an unstable lifestyle could lead to drinking.

In response, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun instructed the Ministry of Justice to devise countermeasures. The police, lawmakers, and local governments are also contemplating various measures.

The Ministry of Justice plans to assign a dedicated probation officer to conduct one-on-one supervision and implement 24-hour location tracking, and intends to request the court to impose compliance conditions such as alcohol restrictions, outing restrictions, and prohibitions on approaching the victim.

The city of Ansan is planning to increase police personnel and expand surveillance cameras.

However, no effective preventive measures have yet been proposed regarding the "lack of concrete social life" cited by the Ministry of Justice as a factor in Jo's potential for reoffending, which remains a concern.

Full text of the letter sent by the father of the Jodusun victim to Kim Byung-wook, member of the People Power Party [Image source = Office of Kim Byung-wook, member of the People Power Party]

Meanwhile, Mr. A, the father of the victim in the Jo Doo-soon case, sent a letter to Kim Byung-wook of the People Power Party on September 16, stating, "Eleven years ago, the government promised the public to permanently isolate Jo Doo-soon. I still believe they will keep that promise."

He also appealed, "If (Jo Doo-soon) has truly reflected, he should not come near where the victim lives," and asked, "Ansan City says it will increase surveillance cameras, but I want to know if they believe this will prevent crimes and ensure the victim's 100% safety."

Jo Doo-soon is reportedly planning to live at his wife's home in Danwon-gu, Ansan City, after his full release on December 13.

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