Lee Yeon-woo is a financial journalist at The Korea Times. Her wide range of reporting includes policies, macroeconomics, stock market, companies and even crypto. She is passionate about connecting the dots in Korean finance and making it easier for foreign nationals to understand. Based on her previous experience as a national reporter, she also has a keen interest in social issues within the sector, including gender equality and ESG. Your tips and insights are always appreciated. You can send them to yanu@koreatimes.co.kr.
Released child rapist forbidden to go out during morning school rush hour
Elementary school students go to school in the morning. Korea Times file by Lee Han-ho
By Lee Yeon-woo
By Lee Yeon-woo
Kim Geun-sik, an infamous child rapist, will be prohibited from leaving his house in the morning when school starts after his release on Oct. 15. Kim, 54, has served 15 years in prison for raping 11 minors in 2006.
According to legal circles, Sunday, the Seoul Southern District Court accepted the prosecution's request to extend Kim's curfew hours from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. The initial curfew had been from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
This new measure is to prevent any possibility that Kim might try to commit a crime against children or teenagers heading to school in the morning.
Additional measures have been added. If Kim fails to secure stable housing, he must live in a place designated by his probation officer.
Kim is also obliged to report the details of his whereabouts ― including destination, period and reasons for leaving ― to his probation officer and obtain permission before traveling or visiting other regions outside of his residential area.
Earlier, Kim was given special measures to follow after his release: the nighttime curfew, no access to facilities for children and youth, and 120 hours of a psychological treatment program.
However, the Ministry of Justice requested further measures, as the public living in areas where Kim had committed crimes before felt anxious.
Kim was imprisoned in 2000 for raping a minor and released in May 2006. After only 16 days, he raped 11 minors aged nine to 17 until the police arrested him in September.
Ministry of Justice has promised to watch Kim closely by assigning him probation officers right after his release to prevent repeated crimes and to relieve public anxiety. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will also disclose his photo and address in the government-run sex offender registry system (www.sexoffender.go.kr) on the day of his release.