[Summary] Stir over 'Jo Doo-soon Lookalike' Sightings... Firmly Believing and Saying "We're Going to Catch Jo Doo-soon"

Child sex offender Jo Doo-soon, who was released after serving his sentence, is entering the Ansan Probation Center of the Ministry of Justice in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of the 12th of last month. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] Amid rising anxiety as 'sightings' of a person presumed to be sex offender Jo Doo-soon have spread like wildfire, some YouTubers have once again threatened to 'catch Jo Doo-soon.' Authorities have earnestly requested restraint, stating that the rumors about the presumed individual and Jo Doo-soon only make residents more anxious, emphasizing that the person in question is not Jo Doo-soon.

On the 1st, a post claiming to have seen Jo Doo-soon was uploaded to an online community.

The author wrote, "I went to Jebudo to eat sashimi and saw Jo Doo-soon," adding, "I bought two king crabs worth about 200,000 won. My wife was with me."

Following this, another sighting post appeared on the same community. The author uploaded a photo of a man and said, "When I asked if this was Jo Doo-soon, he glared at me fiercely," adding, "It was scary."

The man in the photo resembled Jo Doo-soon's appearance at the time of his release. His white hair remained, and he was wearing a black padded jacket, mask, and hat.

As the consecutive 'sightings' of the presumed Jo Doo-soon spread online, netizens could not hide their anxiety. Related rumors such as "Jo wants to sell coffee in the neighborhood" also circulated.

Netizens responded with comments like, "If he’s walking around wearing a mask like that, you wouldn’t recognize him even if you saw him," "His hair and clothes are exactly the same, so he even looks confident," and "Nearby residents will have no choice but to accept life with Jo Doo-soon."

Meanwhile, some YouTubers believed these sightings and threatened, "We will catch Jo Doo-soon." One YouTuber criticized others who had vowed to catch Jo Doo-soon but remained silent, posting a video saying, "They say Jo Doo-soon went out. Does that make sense? I will beat Jo and go to jail," and asked for "a lot of support."

However, the photo of the man presumed to be Jo Doo-soon is very likely not him.

The Ansan Probation Center and others reported that since Jo was released on the 12th of last month, he had not gone outside at all until recently when he briefly left his home to shop at a nearby store and returned within 20 to 30 minutes. His dedicated probation officer confirmed his outing and monitored his movements. An official from Ansan City also stated, "Jo Doo-soon has not gone outside except for one outing around Christmas at the end of last month. The person in the photo posted recently on an online community is not Jo Doo-soon."

According to media reports, the police said, "When Jo Doo-soon goes out, not only his dedicated probation officer but also police officers stationed nearby monitor his movements," adding, "Given the attention focused just by stepping outside his home, would he be able to go to a crowded market?"

Furthermore, according to a report by JoongAng Ilbo on the 3rd, investigative authorities warned, "Posting photos of others on internet communities can be punishable as defamation." They added, "Although no complaints have been filed yet regarding this matter, posting someone else's photo on communities without their permission can lead to defamation charges and possibly civil monetary compensation."

With authorities clearly drawing the line on the recently spreading 'Jo Doo-soon sightings,' officials pointed out that such speculation, rumors, and provocative actions by YouTubers seeking profit or popularity only increase residents' anxiety.

On the 2nd, Ansan Mayor Yoon Hwa-seop told Hankook Ilbo in a phone interview, "Unconfirmed speculation and rumors about Jo Doo-soon are spreading," and urged, "After verification, all are either false or impractical, so residents should not be swayed by them."

He continued, "Please refrain from spreading false information so that residents can regain stability," and asked some extreme YouTubers who attempt to trespass on his residence or gather in front of his house causing disturbances to exercise restraint.

Shim Jong-seong, chairman of the residents' autonomy committee living near Jo Doo-soon's house, also appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 15th of last month, stating, "Residents can hardly live," and "As temperatures rise, such problems are expected to continue, making it impossible for residents to live here," adding, "YouTubers who exploit this situation for views are scarier than Jo Doo-soon."

Meanwhile, Jo Doo-soon was sentenced to 12 years in prison for brutally sexually assaulting and injuring an elementary school student on her way to school in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, in December 2008. He was released on the 12th of last month. He must wear an electronic ankle bracelet for seven years until December 2027, during which time his outings are restricted from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next day. Excessive drinking and approaching the victim within 200 meters are prohibited, and he must comply with a sexual violence recidivism prevention program.

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