More sex offenders to undergo chemical castration

By Yi Whan-woo

The Ministry of Justice said Tuesday that it will seek to expand the use of chemical castration on sex offenders who commit crimes against minors aged 19 or under.

Under the current law, sex criminals may be subject to chemical castration when their victims are younger than 16-years-old.

The ministry said the additional measure is crucial to protect all minors from predators.

“Justice Minister Kwon Jae-jin made the proposal to President Lee Myung-bak at a weekly Cabinet meeting, and we’ll submit a revised draft to the related law to the National Assembly this month,” an official said.

The move came amid mounting public uproar over a series of sexual assaults against women and children by former convicts who were exempted from chemical castration because their previous victims were older than 16.

“We found out that the law requires revision to effectively tackle sex crimes,” the official said.

He added that convicted pedophiles who rape and sexually attack minors and those aged up to 19 or under also will be forced to wear an electronic tagging device after their prison terms end.

Those criminals wearing electronic anklets will be required to meet police officers every four months for a thorough examination of their mental states.

The ministry will discuss the revised guidelines with the Ministry of Gender, Equality, and Family that oversees the policies on the youth.

Chemical castration is designed to reduce sexual desire or the libido in repeat sex offenders through use of hormonal treatment.