By Kim Tae-jong
A sex offender’s personal information has been mailed to neighbors for the first time since a revised anti-sex crime law went into effect on April 16.
The personal information of a 37-year-old sex offender living in Seoul was provided via mail to parents in the neighborhood area who have children younger than 19. It includes his photo, name, age, criminal record, height, weight and address.
The government provides such information to help better alert people living close to those convicted of sex crimes to help prevent related offences, the Ministry of Justice said Monday.
“The disclosure of such information aims to help neighbors living near convicted sex offenders protect themselves as well as minors from potential sex crimes. We think it will help reduce the number of sexual assaults,” a ministry official said.
Under the revised law, the government must notify nearby households with children under the age of 19 via mail of the personal information of those who have been convicted of sex crimes against minors.
In addition, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family runs an online “sex offender alter system” (www.sexoffender.go.kr), which provides more extensive private information of sex criminals for both minors and adults.
The website also carries sex offenders’ personal information such as a photo, height, weight and brief explanation of the offender’s criminal record and subsequent court verdicts.
The disclosure period of personal information varies in accordance with the sentence. The information of those sentenced to over three years in prison for sex crimes will be made public for 10 years, while personal data on those who got less than a three-year sentence will be made available for five years. Information of those slapped with a fine will be made public for two years.
