Kim Geun-sik, Released This Month, Prohibited from Going Out During School Hours for Children and Adolescents

Increase Curfew and Mandatory Reporting When Leaving Residential Areas

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Kim Geun-sik (54), who served 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting 11 minors, will be released on the 17th and will be prohibited from leaving his residence during the school hours of children and adolescents.

On the 2nd, the Seoul Southern District Court announced that it accepted the prosecution's request on the 26th of last month to extend the curfew time in the electronic monitoring order compliance conditions for Kim Geun-sik until 9 a.m.

Accordingly, Kim's restricted outing hours have been extended from the previous 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. This decision was made based on the judgment that it is necessary to proactively prevent crimes targeting children and adolescents on their way to school. Additionally, residence restrictions and reporting obligations during travel were added.

If Kim does not have a stable residence, he must live at a location designated by his probation officer. When traveling or visiting areas outside the city, county, or district of his residence, he must specifically report the reason, duration, and destination to his probation officer and obtain permission.

The prosecution decided to impose these restrictions on Kim's residence and movement considering that his residence after release has not been determined.

The Ministry of Justice applied last month to extend the curfew and impose residence and travel restrictions as residents' anxiety increased, especially around the areas where Kim committed his past crimes. Along with this, a dedicated probation officer was assigned to Kim, and a dedicated monitoring officer will conduct 24-hour checks to ensure compliance with the conditions.

Kim was sentenced to 15 years in prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting 11 minors from May to September 2006 in Seo-gu and Gyeyang-gu of Incheon City, and Goyang, Siheung, and Paju cities in Gyeonggi Province, and has been serving his sentence at Daejeon Prison.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family plans to disclose Kim's personal information, including photos and actual residence, on the internet site "Sex Offender Notification e" on the day of his release.