YouTubers near child rapist's home cause inconvenience for residents

YouTubers and other protesters attempt to block a car carrying Cho Doo-soon, one of Korea's most notorious child rapists, as Cho heads to his home in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, Saturday, after serving a 12-year prison term. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

Many YouTubers have been flocking to the small town of Ansan to visit the home of one of Korea's most notorious child rapists since his recent release from prison, causing numerous problems for local residents, according to Ansan Mayor Yoon Wha-sub and the local police, Monday.

Cho Doo-soon was released from prison, Saturday, after serving a 12-year term for kidnapping an eight-year-old girl who he violently raped repeatedly in a church bathroom in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, in 2008. The victim sustained severe injuries including intestinal ruptures, leading to permanent physical damage.

On the day when Cho, 68, returned to his home in Ansan after his release, more than 30 YouTubers were waiting for him along the alley to his house, with cameras in hand. Many of them said, in previous broadcasts, they "would bring justice to bear on him personally" as the jail term was too lenient considering his crime.

Since Cho returned to his house, these YouTubers have not left but have been scrambling to produce evermore sensational content to attract more views.

According to the Ansan Danwon Police Station, the alley has been visited by more than 150 YouTubers since Cho's release.

Some of them have been yelling, using abusive language and sounding their car horns even late at night, causing enormous disruptions to the lives of local residents.

In addition, there was a physical altercation between YouTubers who were engaged in fierce competition.

Police said they have received nearly 100 reports from residents including noise complaints between Saturday and Monday morning.

Police have booked eight people including three YouTubers for interference with the public duties of officials, for damaging the car carrying Cho ― the vehicle was dented and the windows smashed.

A 17-year-old boy, who tried to break into Cho's house by climbing up the gas pipes, has also been detained for attempted breaking and entering.

“YouTubers flocking to Ansan are causing trouble for local residents, not Cho,” Mayor Yoon said during his radio appearance. “I ask YouTubers to show a mature sense of citizenship and to be considerate of local residents who are suffering a lot.”

Yoon said local police are working to keep YouTubers and loiterers out of the residential area by checking the identity of people entering the area as part of efforts to resolve the inconveniences to the residents.

Police added that the number of YouTubers staying in the area decreased on Monday, seemingly due to the cold snap, but they stationed some 100 officers around Cho's house in preparation for any possible unexpected situations.

“We are continuing to stay alert as similar situations to those over the weekend could occur at any time,” a police officer said.