85% of Ansan citizens call for post-prison segregation for notorious child rapist

Notorious child rapist Cho Doo-soon leaves a probation center in Ansan, around 20 kilometers southwest of Seoul, Dec. 12, after being released from prison earlier in the day. Yonhap

By Bahk Eun-ji

More than 85 percent of Ansan residents agreed with the necessity of a new law to keep child sex offenders in a state-run facility for some time after their release from prison, to maintain their segregation from society, a poll showed Thursday.

Ansan City conducted a survey on 1,245 residents in the city through social media for five days from Dec. 11, right ahead of the release of the notorious child rapist Cho Doo-soon. Of them, 1,063, or 85.4 percent of respondents, said the legislation of a new law is a “necessary measure” to prevent habitual offenders from committing crimes.

On the other hand, only 93 people or 7.5 percent answered negatively, saying, “There are elements of double punishment and human rights violations.”

In addition, 89 people or 7.1 percent said “It is necessary to separate violent sex offenders from society,” and “The government should protect human rights centered on victims rather than perpetrators.”

In September, Ansan Mayor Yoon Wha-sub called for the enactment of a new law to keep Cho in a special facility in a petition posted to the Cheong Wa Dae website.

A bill to establish the law to keep habitual sex offenders and murderers in a state-run facility for a period after their release from prison has previously been discussed at the National Assembly. But it was scrapped due to a controversy over double punishment and infringement of human rights.