Sex crimes most common in Jung-gu, Seoul

By Jung Min-ho

Jung District in central Seoul has the highest rate of sex crimes in the country, a recent survey showed Monday.

According to the Korean Institute of Criminology (KIC), a state-run crime research center, the population-adjusted risk index number for Jung District is 203.78, followed by Daegu’s Jung District (196.67) and Jongno district (183.49).

The KIC came up with the index numbers after considering factors, including population density, population movement rate and the ratio of women in the nation’s 251 districts. The national average is 100.

When it comes to rape rate, however, Suwon’s Paldal District has the highest amount with 179.66, followed by Gwangju’s Dong District (176.56) and Daegu’s Jung District (164.56).

Paldal District is the area where a number of infamous rape and murder cases have occurred, including those perpetrated by Korean-Chinese Park Chun-bong and Oh Won-choon.

Nationally, 79 sex crimes are reported every day. This means one occurs every 18 minutes and 30 seconds.

In their annual crime report released in January, police predicted that the number of sex crimes will increase this year, while incidents of all other violent crimes – murder, assault, theft and robbery – will decrease.