'Child Sex Offender' Jo Doo-soon to Be Released in December... Citizens Feel 'Uneasy'

Public Anxiety Remains Ahead of Jo Doo-soon's Release
Child and Youth Sexual Protection Act Amendment Proposed
Retroactive Application to Jo Doo-soon Under Review... Detailed Personal Information Disclosure
Support for Victims' Psychological Stability and More

Photo by SBS, screenshot from the program 'Unanswered Questions'.

[Asia Economy reporters Han Seung-gon and Kim Young-eun] With the release of Jo Doo-soon, who is imprisoned on charges of child sexual assault, just over 40 days away, citizens' anxiety over his potential reoffending is growing. Political circles and related institutions are discussing measures to alleviate public concerns and prevent recidivism.

Jo Doo-soon, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting an elementary school student in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province in 2008, is scheduled to be released on December 13. It is known that during an interview with a probation officer and a clinical psychologist at the Ansan Probation Office in July, Jo stated that "he plans to return to Ansan, where his family resides," after his release.

After his release, Jo Doo-soon must wear an electronic ankle bracelet for seven years. However, according to Park Wan-soo, a member of the People Power Party, there are concerns that even if Jo wears the electronic bracelet, another incident could occur. Last October, a man in his 60s wearing an electronic bracelet committed sexual assault and fled, and his whereabouts have been unknown for over a year.

According to Representative Park, from 2015 to August of this year, a total of 951 people violated the law regarding electronic device attachment. Among them, 93 damaged their electronic bracelets, and 858 either failed to fulfill the obligation to charge the devices or violated restrictions on going out or entering certain areas.

As a result, public opinion is cold. Netizens are responding with comments such as "Is the electronic bracelet just an ornament?", "I can never feel at ease with just one electronic bracelet," and "Please impose bigger and more certain sanctions," urging the establishment of stronger measures.

Photo by Yonhap News

Political circles are also discussing ways to prevent Jo Doo-soon's reoffending. On the 27th, Lee Soo-jin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, advocated for "chemical castration" for Jo Doo-soon during the National Assembly's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family audit.

Lee stated, "The government and local governments are preparing various measures to prevent Jo Doo-soon's reoffending, but more effective measures are needed," adding, "There is criticism that electronic bracelets are insufficient to prevent the recurrence of sexual crimes beyond tracking the wearer's location. For this reason, drug treatment to suppress sexual impulses and chemical castration methods are emerging as alternatives to prevent sexual crime recidivism."

She continued, "Some are concerned about the high cost or side effects of drug treatment for chemical castration, but in Jo Doo-soon's case, the state must take control."

In response to these claims, Lee Jung-ok, Minister of Gender Equality and Family, said, "I fully sympathize with the purpose of preparing such legislation as a response to current issues," and added, "We are reviewing to ensure that both offender control and victim support parts can operate effectively."

On the same day, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun also requested the National Assembly's cooperation for the prompt enactment of legislation and budget approval for managing sexual offenders, saying, "Use all means to protect local residents."

CCTV in an alley of a residential area in Ansan OO-dong. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

Meanwhile, on the 23rd of last month, Yoon Hwa-seop, mayor of Ansan, posted a petition on the Blue House's National Petition Board calling for the enactment of the so-called "Jo Doo-soon Isolation Act," officially known as the "Protective Custody Act." At that time, the petition received about 119,000 signatures but fell short of the Blue House's response threshold of 200,000 signatures, ending below the required standard.

Although the enactment of the Protective Custody Act was abandoned, Ansan City has initiated the establishment of a "Victim Protection Promotion Committee." On the 27th, the city sent an official letter to the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency requesting the establishment of the committee to oversee policies for protecting and supporting crime victims.

If the committee is established, practical protection and support policies for victims and their families will be promoted at the level of the Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency. Additionally, Ansan City announced that it is working to reduce citizens' anxiety by expanding closed-circuit television (CCTV) and hiring additional patrol personnel.

Related institutions also appear to be taking action to prevent Jo Doo-soon's reoffending and alleviate public anxiety. Lee Jung-yeon, head of the Child and Adolescent Sexual Protection Division at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, stated, "We will disclose personal information as soon as possible once Jo Doo-soon is released."

She added, "Currently, personal information of sexual offenders can be disclosed down to the building number of their actual residence, but when Jo was detained, such a system did not exist, so currently, disclosure of his residence is limited to the administrative district 'dong' level. To align this with the current disclosure scope, a revision bill to the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles Against Sexual Abuse has been proposed, and once discussions are complete, this regulation will be applied retroactively to Jo Doo-soon so that detailed personal information can be disclosed in the same way as current standards."

She also emphasized, "If victims require additional support beyond the current scope, we are willing to provide sufficient additional assistance regarding psychological stability and medical care."

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