South Korea will disclose the identities of all convicted child sex offenders on the Internet starting next year in an effort to better protect children amid a growing number of sex crimes against minors.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said all adults aged over 20 will be allowed under a revised law to log on to a government-run Web site (www.sexoffender.go.kr) featuring the latest information on all convicted child sex offenders, including their names, ages, addresses, photos and summaries of the offenses.
With the opening of the new Web site, South Korea will become the second nation in the world to make public photos of sex offenders after the U.S., Yonhap News Agency reported, adding their personal information will be disclosed for five to 10 years.
The Korean government will also push for separate legal revision to mail the personal information of all convicted child sex offenders to all households with children in their neighborhoods.
Under the present law, the personal information of those who are convicted of sex crimes against minors under 13 is open to the public only on a limited basis, making it available in the district police stations alone.
A growing number of violent sexual assaults on children have recently put escalating pressures on the government and judiciary to get much tougher with sex offenders.
To avoid possible revenge attacks or violence against the registered offenders, the revised law will prohibit the spread of their information through media or Web sites, the officials said.