Father of Victim in 'Jodusun Case' Says "Victim Is Rather the Fugitive"

Jo Doo-soon, who brutally sexually assaulted an 8-year-old girl and was sentenced to 12 years in prison after the court recognized his diminished mental capacity, is currently held in solitary confinement at Cheongseong Prison. He will be released on December 13.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Jo Doo-soon (68), who is serving a 12-year prison sentence for the kidnapping and sexual assault of an elementary school student, has sparked controversy by expressing his intention to return and reside in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, where the crime took place and where his address is registered, after his release this December. In response, the victim's father appealed to Jo Doo-soon not to come to Ansan, saying, "I want to give him moving expenses even if I have to borrow money to make him leave Ansan."

The victim's father, Mr. A (68), said in an interview with Chosun Ilbo on the 20th, "Jo Doo-soon claims to be remorseful, but why does he insist on coming to Ansan where the victim lives?" He added, "If I could just make Jo Doo-soon leave Ansan, I would be willing to take out a personal loan and give him 20 to 30 million won for moving expenses."

He continued, "I carry the guilt of not being able to protect my child and will live as a sinner for life. But now that Jo Doo-soon says he is coming near our house, is this acceptable?" he expressed his outrage.

Regarding why they have not left Ansan, Mr. A explained, "I said several times, 'This is terrible, let's move,' but Nayoung (a pseudonym) cried and said she wouldn't go, so we couldn't leave Ansan." He added, "Nayoung said, 'If I, who have a disability, go to another school, how many friends would I make? Wouldn't I be ostracized? The friends here understand me and have helped me a lot.'

Mr. A claimed that Jo Doo-soon has intentions of retaliation or intimidation. He said, "Just having a heinous criminal like Jo Doo-soon within 1 km is already retaliation for us," and "It's hard to believe Jo Doo-soon's promise that he acknowledges his wrongdoing, is remorseful, and will not cause trouble after release." Jo Doo-soon denied the crime in court, consistently excused himself by saying the victim's memory was wrong, and did not even apologize.

He lamented, "Won't Jo Doo-soon run into us at the local market? Instead, the victim has become the one who has to run away."

Regarding the government's proposal for one-on-one, 24-hour close monitoring, Mr. A said, "It's a practically impossible method." He criticized, "In 2009, the Minister of Justice met with Jo Doo-soon in prison and promised permanent isolation, but was that properly kept? Recently, members of the National Assembly, the Ministry of Justice, and the police held a meeting in Ansan, and later the Prime Minister also mentioned countermeasures, but it was just theoretical talk."

Earlier, it was reported that Jo Doo-soon expressed his intention to return to Ansan, his registered address, upon his release on December 13 during a meeting with psychological counselors at the Ansan Probation Office in July. Ansan is also the area where Jo Doo-soon lived before his incarceration. At the meeting, Jo Doo-soon said, "I am well aware of how society evaluates my crime. I will accept the criticism," and "I will live without causing trouble after my release."