By Yi Whan-woo
Prosecutors have asked a court to carry out chemical castration on a 25-year-old pedophile indicted for molesting four elementary school boys.
The Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office said Sunday it made the request after the child molester, surnamed Jang, stated during the probe that he cannot control his sexual desire for boys.
Jang was arrested for showing his penis in elementary school zones in Gangbuk and Dongdaemun in Seoul and forcing four boys aged 11 to 12 to touch it repeatedly between June and July.
Based on a doctor’s diagnosis, investigators verified the man has difficulty in controlling his libido. They also found out that Jang’s twin brother who was previously convicted of child molestation had a similar problem.
“We deem Jang’s problem stems from his family background, and decided to let him undergo chemical castration to improve his condition,” an official said.
This is the third time a request has been made for chemical castration to be carried out on a sex criminal since the relevant law came into effect in July last year. According to sources close to the prosecution, however, the move against Jang is “somewhat harsh,” as his crime is relatively minor compared to other cases that involved rapists.
For instance, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office sought such punishment in August on a 30-year-old man, surnamed Pyo, on charges of raping five teenage girls. He also allegedly took photos of the victim’s naked bodies and threatened that he would spread them online if they reported his assaults to police.
“We would say the request this time has been made with a rising concern over a series of sex crimes against women and minors,” an official said.
If the court accepts the request and hands down a prison sentence on Jang, he will undergo chemical castration two months before he completes his jail term.