[News Terms] What Is the 'Jessica Act' Mentioned by Minister Han Dong-hoon?

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon is announcing the special New Year's pardon recipients on the 27th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] Jessica's Law is named after Jessica Lunsford, a 9-year-old girl from Florida, USA, who lost her life to a child sex offender. Offenders who commit sex crimes against children under the age of 12 must serve a minimum of 25 years in prison and wear an electronic anklet with a GPS tracking device for life after release. Additionally, offenders are prohibited from residing within 2,000 feet (approximately 610 meters) of places where children frequently gather, such as schools or parks.

On February 24, 2005, nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford was abducted in her sleep by her neighbor John Couey (46), who had a history of sex offenses. John Couey took Jessica to his home, sexually assaulted her multiple times, and then buried her alive in a garbage bag. Twenty-three days later, the buried garbage bag was discovered during a police search, leading to John Couey's arrest. Public outrage erupted over Jessica's horrific condition, and John Couey was unanimously sentenced to death by the jury. He appealed, but during the trial process, he was diagnosed with cancer and died in 2009.

It was revealed that John Couey had already been convicted twice for child sex offenses before committing the crime against Jessica and had been sentenced to 10 years in prison, but was released after only two years as a model prisoner. Afterwards, Jessica's father requested strict management of sex offenders, saying, "If I had known my neighbor was a sex offender, I would have avoided him, and my daughter would not have been killed." The state legislature accepted this, and Jessica's Law was enacted. Jessica's Law is currently enforced in more than 30 states across the United States.

On the 1st of this month, Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon stated in his New Year's address, "There is great public anxiety about people who pose a high risk of committing sex crimes roaming freely, and I fully understand this," adding, "I will gradually discuss specific directions suitable for our country's circumstances." This has drawn attention to whether the introduction of Jessica's Law will gain momentum in South Korea.