With the end of the disclosure period for the personal information of child rapist Cho Doo-soon, 73, meaning his residence will no longer be made public, the Ministry of Justice said, "If Cho Doo-soon makes a residence transfer, we will strengthen our cooperation system for swift information sharing with the police and local governments so that the public can live with peace of mind, and we will do our utmost."
In a media notice that day, the Ministry of Justice said, "Even after the disclosure period for the personal information of Cho Doo-soon, who is subject to electronic monitoring, ended, we are managing without gaps through 24-hour intensive location tracking and one-on-one probation by a dedicated probation officer," and stated accordingly.
It also said of Cho Doo-soon, "When going out, a dedicated probation officer always accompanies him to block risk factors at the source, so he can never go out alone," adding, "If he steps outside the front door of the residence during restricted hours, a probation officer immediately intervenes and we take stern measures, including investigating violations."
It added, "We are working to reduce the risk of reoffending, including having a mental health professional conduct psychotherapy at least once a week."
Personal information about Cho Doo-soon that had been disclosed on the Sex Offender Alert e website and app operated by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family—including his photo, physical information, residence, and a summary of his sex crimes—was deleted on the 12th.
Cho Doo-soon was released on Dec. 13, 2020, after serving 12 years for committing a child rape crime. Citing the brutality of the crime targeting an elementary school student and the risk of recidivism, the court ordered the disclosure of his personal information for five years. The period has expired, so the information will no longer be disclosed.
After his release, Cho Doo-soon was brought to trial on charges of twice leaving his residence without permission. In October, he removed the plug of his home monitoring device in an attempt to avoid contact from probation officers and others.
Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party plans to introduce a bill to amend the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sex Offenses to extend the period for disclosing the personal information of serious child and youth sex offenders from the current maximum of 10 years to 30 years. The amendment reportedly will include transitional provisions to allow the new standard to apply to existing child rapists like Cho Doo-soon.