Information Made Private on "Sex Offender Notification e"
Repeated Violations During Probation, Including Unauthorized Absences
Prosecutors: "Involuntary Treatment and Custody Needed"
The disclosure period for the personal information of child sex offender Jo Doo-soon (73) has expired, making it impossible to check his residence through the "Sex Offender Notification e" system. Public anxiety is growing, as Jo has faced multiple trials for unauthorized absences since his release and is reportedly experiencing worsening symptoms of delirium.
According to the legal community on December 15, the information on Jo Doo-soon was made private on December 12 on the "Sex Offender Notification e" website, which is operated by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. This is because the five-year disclosure order issued by the court at the time of his release in December 2020 has now expired. However, although public access to his information has ended, his registration and management as a sex offender will continue.
The "Sex Offender Notification e" system was introduced in 2008 under the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse, aiming to prevent recidivism by disclosing the faces and residences of high-risk sex offenders. After a simple identity verification process, anyone can view photos of convicted sex offenders, their registered and actual addresses, age, height, whether they are wearing an electronic tracking device, previous sex crime convictions, and the nature of their offenses, as determined by the court.
Jo Doo-soon was sentenced to 12 years in prison for sexually assaulting an elementary school student and was released in December 2020. Due to the brutality of his crime and his psychopathic tendencies, the court ordered his personal information to be disclosed for five years out of concern for recidivism. At that time, the National Assembly passed the so-called "Jo Doo-soon Prevention Act," requiring his address to be disclosed down to the street name and building number in light of the severity of the case.
The court also imposed special restrictions on Jo, including prohibiting him from going out at night or during school commuting hours, banning alcohol consumption, and forbidding access to educational facilities or contact with the victim. Since then, while residing in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, he has been under constant 24-hour monitoring, probation, and required to wear an electronic tracking device.
The issue is that Jo Doo-soon has repeatedly violated these restrictions since his release. He was brought to trial twice for leaving his residence without permission, and in December 2023, he was sentenced to three months in prison for violating the nighttime curfew.
Additionally, between March and June of this year, he was found wandering outside his home on four separate occasions and was returned by probation officers stationed near his residence. In October, it was confirmed that he attempted to restrict contact from probation officers by unplugging his home monitoring device. On October 10, he was indicted again for unauthorized absence from his residence and is currently on trial for this offense.
During a recent hearing last month, prosecutors stated that Jo Doo-soon "appears to be suffering from a mental illness and may require medication," and requested the court to order involuntary treatment and custody. The National Forensic Hospital also conducted a psychiatric evaluation and reportedly recommended involuntary treatment and custody for Jo.
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