By Yi Whan-woo
The prosecution and the police are seeking to make a quicker DNA analysis of sex offenders as part of efforts to prevent sex crimes.
They are also pushing to share separately-run DNA databases on suspects and those convicted of sex crimes.
The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said Tuesday it will closely work with the National Police Agency to reduce the time in apprehending sex offenders, including those who repeatedly commit such crimes.
The move comes amid concerns that the two law-enforcement agencies have failed to share information effectively on repeat sex offenders.
The police’s database carries the DNA of suspects that are found at sex crime scenes, while prosecutors only collect the DNA of convicted sex offenders.
And both organizations have faced criticism since August when a repeat sex offender was arrested on charges of killing a housewife in her apartment in Gwangjin, Seoul, after attempting to rape her.
The 42-year-old suspect, surnamed Suh, confessed that he also raped another woman two weeks prior to the attack.
Crime experts pointed out that police could have prevented the murder of the housewife if they had figured out quickly that the DNA at the first rape scene belonged to the previously convicted Suh.
“If police were allowed access to the prosecution’s database, they could easily learn that Suh was attacking women again,” one of the experts said.
In the meeting, prosecutors, police and officials of the Ministry of Public Administration and Safety discussed ways to reduce time in identifying the DNA of suspects with previous convictions for sex crimes.
Police currently request the National Forensic Services (NFS) to analyze DNA found at the crime scene. The NFS also requests the prosecution find out whether the DNA belongs to convicted sex offenders. Police will only find out whether suspects have a criminal record when the NFS receives a response from the prosecution.
“The whole process takes more than a month, which has been very ineffective,” a prosecutor said.
The prosecution said it will inform police directly along with the NFS regarding DNA identification results. It also added that police will be allowed to search its database or make direct requests for identification.
Police will be able to save up 30 days in the DNA identification process once the improvement is made, an official said.