"My Taxes Are Not Jo Doo-soon's Drinking Money," Citizens Outraged... Police Say "No Outings for Two Weeks"

A Mistaken Identity Incident
"Drinking Alcohol with Welfare Money," "No Sign of Remorse," Netizens Outraged
"Is It Allowed to Drink with an Electronic Ankle Bracelet?" Suspicions Arise
Jo Doo-soon, Released in December Last Year, Resides in Ansan, Gyeonggi
Must Follow Rules Including Drinking Limit of 0.03% Blood Alcohol Concentration

The appearance of Jo Doo-soon, a child sex offender who was released after serving his sentence.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] A figure presumed to be child sex offender Jo Doo-soon (69) was spotted purchasing a large quantity of alcohol at a major supermarket. Jo Doo-soon, who was released last year after serving his full sentence and currently resides at his home in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, has recently been reported to be passive in participating in government-provided employment support programs, sparking controversy.

Citizens expressed outrage, saying, "He is just drinking alcohol with support funds funded by taxpayers' money." However, police investigations confirmed that the man in the photo is not Jo Doo-soon.

On the 1st, an online community posted a photo titled "Jo Doo-soon spotted at the mart in real-time." The photo shows an elderly man with white hair, presumed to be Jo Doo-soon, wearing a black coat and a hat pulled down, shopping at a large supermarket. The cart next to the man contains alcoholic beverages.

The netizen who posted the photo pointed out, "If you look closely at the photo, you can see an electronic ankle bracelet," adding, "Seeing that he has been drinking since his release from prison, it seems he has not fully regained his senses."

Jo Doo-soon, who lives at his home in Ansan, is reportedly not currently engaged in any employment activities. According to the JoongAng Ilbo on the 28th of last month, Jo Doo-soon did not participate in the employment support program called the "Hug Job Support Program," provided by the Korea Rehabilitation Welfare Corporation under the Ministry of Justice.

About 100 days after his release, Jo Doo-soon is currently sustaining his livelihood through basic living security benefits and old-age pension provided by Ansan City. Jo Doo-soon and his wife receive up to approximately 1.2 million KRW monthly from Ansan City, including a basic pension of 300,000 KRW.

Given this situation, netizens expressed their outrage. They criticized that it is absurd for a heinous criminal to sustain his livelihood with taxpayers' money and that he lacks even the will to seek employment.

One netizen who saw the post lamented, "The money I earn with my sweat and blood is going toward Jo Doo-soon's alcohol expenses," adding, "Is this even acceptable?" Another netizen argued, "A person who inflicted an unforgettable wound on the victim is living comfortably without any sign of remorse," and said, "Isn't it only natural to feel this is unfair?"

One netizen also questioned, "Is it allowed for a criminal wearing an electronic ankle bracelet to consume alcohol?"

The official vehicle carrying child sex offender Jo Doo-soon, who was released after serving his sentence, was blocked by some citizens and YouTubers while leaving the Ministry of Justice Ansan Probation Center in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of December 12 last year. / Photo by Yonhap News

However, the man captured in the photo was confirmed not to be Jo Doo-soon. According to the Ansan Danwon Police Station in Gyeonggi Province, which is responsible for Jo Doo-soon's probation, he has not gone out in the past two months.

Since Jo Doo-soon is under probation, the police check his movements daily when he goes out, and a dedicated probation officer monitors his outings and movements. Police investigations confirmed that Jo Doo-soon has no record of going out in the past two months. In other words, the photo was a misunderstanding caused by a netizen mistaking another elderly man for Jo Doo-soon.

Meanwhile, Jo Doo-soon returned to his home in Ansan, where his wife lives, after being released in December last year. He was sentenced to prison in 2008 for brutally sexually assaulting and seriously injuring an elementary school student in Ansan.

At that time, the victim's family expressed anxiety, saying they would leave Ansan to avoid Jo Doo-soon. The victim's father lamented in an interview with JTBC's "Newsroom," "When we heard that Jo Doo-soon was returning to Ansan, our child burst into tears for the first time in 12 years," adding, "This was the first time since the incident."

He continued, "If he were truly remorseful and sane, he wouldn't dare say he would come near the victim," and said, "It is very painful for the family to see the victim struggling every day to overcome the pain and escape from nightmares."

On the day of Jo Doo-soon's release, angry citizens and YouTubers held rallies in front of the prison. One YouTuber was investigated by the police for climbing onto and damaging the vehicle transporting Jo Doo-soon from the prison to his home in Ansan.

Meanwhile, Jo Doo-soon, who will wear an electronic device (ankle bracelet) for seven years from the release date, must comply with five conditions: prohibition of nighttime outings (21:00 to 06:00 the next day), prohibition of excessive drinking (blood alcohol concentration of 0.03% or higher), prohibition of entering educational facilities, prohibition of approaching within 200 meters of the victim, and faithful completion of programs related to preventing sexual offense recidivism.

Previously, the prosecution had requested a complete ban on Jo Doo-soon's alcohol consumption, but the court partially accepted the prosecution's request by prohibiting drinking with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.03% or higher.

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