Jo Dusoon Undergoes One-Month Psychiatric Evaluation at National Forensic Hospital
Residents Continue to Express Anxiety
Amid the sound of children's laughter, a sense of tension lingered on the way to school. At 8:30 a.m. on the 9th, in front of an elementary school in Danwon District, Ansan City, a boy who appeared to be in first or second grade answered a phone call. "Mom, I couldn't answer because I had the ringer off." The boy hung up with a sullen expression, as if he had just been scolded. A minute later, the phone rang again, and he quickly answered. "I'm almost at school now." It seemed that his parents were worried about his commute to school, as they called every few minutes to check on him. Looking around, most of the students?regardless of grade?were walking to school holding hands with adults. The home of child sex offender Jo Dusoon is located an eight-minute walk from this school.
On the morning of the 9th at 8:30 AM, children are going to school with adults in front of an elementary school in Danwon District, Ansan City, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Byungseon Gong
On October 23 of last year, Jo Dusoon moved from his previous residence in Wadong, Danwon District, Ansan City, to a multi-family house about 2 kilometers away. However, from the moment he moved, the surrounding area was put on alert. There are two daycare centers located about 300 meters from his residence, and an elementary school 600 meters away. In the afternoon of that day, a few students with backpacks could be seen walking home near Jo Dusoon's residence.
Of course, Jo Dusoon's movements are restricted. His curfew hours coincide with students' commuting times: from 7 to 9 a.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m., as well as at night from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next day. Seven security officers from Ansan City continuously monitored him. However, it was revealed that Jo Dusoon left his residence without permission on March 30 and between 3 and 6 p.m. on May 11 of this year. He was also sentenced to three months in prison for unauthorized outings in December 2023 and served his sentence.
Currently, Jo Dusoon is not at his residence. The Ansan Probation Office determined that isolation was necessary due to his repeated unauthorized outings and applied for psychiatric detention at the Ansan Branch of the Suwon District Court. Psychiatric detention is a system in which a suspect undergoes evaluation by doctors and experts to assess their mental state. On June 4, the Ansan Branch of the Suwon District Court issued a detention order, and Jo Dusoon was sent to the National Forensic Hospital for a month-long psychiatric evaluation. The Ansan Probation Office plans to review possible criminal measures based on the results of his psychiatric evaluation.
At 8:30 a.m. on the 9th, a security camera was installed in front of the residence of sexual offender Jo Dusoon in Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Byungseon Gong
There were no police officers visible around Jo Dusoon's residence, now temporarily vacant. Local residents said that police presence disappeared after Jo Dusoon was sent for psychiatric detention. However, traces of the surveillance that once monitored Jo Dusoon remain. A security camera in front of his residence continues to monitor the entrance of the multi-family house. Such security cameras are not only installed in front of his residence but also in a park located a three-minute walk away.
The residents were aware of where Jo Dusoon lived, whether the police were monitoring him properly, and that he was currently undergoing psychiatric evaluation. They had been closely following news related to Jo Dusoon.
Nevertheless, the residents still appeared anxious. Around 1:30 p.m., two children who had finished school came to the park in front of Jo Dusoon's residence with their backpacks. The children began sharing game items on their smartphones. Not long after, one child's mother appeared. "There is bread and milk at home, so go up quickly!" The mother, seemingly in a hurry, simply gave instructions and ran off somewhere. The child replied with a quick acknowledgment and became absorbed in his smartphone again. Less than three minutes later, the child received another call. He answered on speakerphone. "You haven't gone home yet? Grab your backpack and go upstairs!" The mother's loud voice could be heard over the phone. The child slung his backpack over his shoulder and replied, "Mom, I have my backpack now and I'm going up to eat bread." The children said goodbye to each other and parted ways.
The residents were visibly on edge due to their anxiety. "We shouldn't discriminate against people, but I'm so afraid of Jo Dusoon coming back to this area that I can't help but blame the government," said Ms. Lee, a 78-year-old resident of Wadong, frowning as soon as she heard Jo Dusoon's name. Another resident, when asked about Jo Dusoon, vented complaints non-stop for ten minutes, saying that ever since Jo Dusoon was released from prison, a constant sense of tension has hung over the neighborhood.
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