DNA sample of 16 criminals to be taken today

By Park Si-soo

Staff reporter

Sixteen felonious criminals who complete their jail term today will find their DNA samples taken and preserved permanently by prosecutors in a tightened monitoring of released criminals, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office (SPO) said Sunday.

This is a measure taken in accordance with a law enabling police and prosecutors to build up a DNA database of convicted criminals and prime suspects of major felonious crimes, which goes into effect today.

An average of 40 new samples will be added to the database, which is called a “DNA Bank,” on a daily basis, according to the prosecution.

This collection of genetic information was introduced amid growing public outrage over a series of recent child rape cases that have pushed the government and lawmakers to come up with tougher punishments and the post-release supervision of them.

Many experts raise hopes that the up-to-date profiling method will make it easier for the authorities to investigate, catch and identify those behind brutal crimes, while some human rights advocates are worried about its potential infringement of human rights.

“More than 10 percent of cold cases are expected to be resolved when more than 400,000 DNA samples are collected,” the SPO said in a press release. “We strongly believe it is a way to better protect human rights of all citizens as a whole.”

Detailed information about the first group of criminals was not available.

Under the law, those convicted or suspected of committing one of 11 types of crime with higher recidivism rates are obliged to have their DNA samples taken; among the types are homicide, rape, arson, organized crime, drug offenses and robbery.

The prosecution is in talks with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the U.S. and investigation bodies in major Asian countries, including Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong, to share a DNA database.

Suspects’ DNA will be, in principle, collected with their consent. In the case that a suspect keeps refusing to provide a sample, police can take it forcibly after earning a court’s approval. To prevent data leakage, DNA information will be encrypted in a mixture of numbers and specific marks.

Around 60 correction officers and 160 prosecutors and investigators received education on how to take out DNA samples early this month.

The National Institute of Scientific Investigation recently opened a center for storing DNA samples and profiling them in southwestern Seoul, a move to run the investigation tool efficiently. It also plans to recruit DNA specialists and upgrade its equipment.

대검찰청 살인범 등 16명 DNA 채취 DB구축 본격화

검찰이 살인이나 마약, 성범죄 등의 죄로 복역하다 26일 출소하는 16명의 DNA(디옥시리보 핵산)를 채취하는 것을 시작으로 DNA 데이터베이스 구축에 본격 돌입한다.

대검찰청에 따르면 `DNA 신원확인정보의 이용 및 보호에 관한 법률'이 26일 시행됨에 따라 살인, 아동ㆍ청소년 상대 성폭력, 강간ㆍ추행, 강도, 방화 등 11개 강력범죄 수감자와 새로 형이 확정되는 범죄자를 대상으로 DNA를 채취해 보관한다.

형이 확정되지 않은 구속피의자의 DNA는 경찰에서 채취해 보관하게 된다.

대검은 미 연방수사국(FBI)의 협조를 얻어 DNA 데이터베이스 운용 소프트웨어를 무상으로 도입했으며 일본, 싱가포르, 홍콩 등 아시아 태평양 국가들과 DNA 데이터베이스 상호검색도 추진할 방침이다.