Child sex offender data to be on Web
Published: 18 Nov. 2009, 22:21
Seeking to better protect children amid a growing number of sex crimes against minors, Korea next year will start disclosing the identities of all convicted child sex offenders on the Internet, officials said yesterday.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said all adults aged over 20 will be allowed under a revised law to log on to a government-run Web site (www.sexoffender.go.kr) featuring the latest information on all convicted child sex offenders, including their names, ages, addresses, photos and summary of their offenses.
With the opening of the Web site, Korea will become the second nation in the world after the U.S. to make public photos of sex offenders, officials said. Their personal data will be available for five to 10 years.
The Korean government will also push for a separate legal revision to mail the personal information of all convicted child sex offenders to nearby households with children, said the officials.
Under the present law, personal information of those who are convicted of sex crimes against minors under 13 is open to the public only at district police stations. A growing number of violent sexual assaults on children has recently put pressure on the government and judiciary to get much tougher with sex offenders.
“The limited access to the sex offenders’ identities has not been effective in giving information to parents of young children,” said Im Eul-gi, an official at the ministry. “But the new measures will have far-reaching effects, considering the nation’s highly advanced broadband network.”
Yonhap
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said all adults aged over 20 will be allowed under a revised law to log on to a government-run Web site (www.sexoffender.go.kr) featuring the latest information on all convicted child sex offenders, including their names, ages, addresses, photos and summary of their offenses.
With the opening of the Web site, Korea will become the second nation in the world after the U.S. to make public photos of sex offenders, officials said. Their personal data will be available for five to 10 years.
The Korean government will also push for a separate legal revision to mail the personal information of all convicted child sex offenders to nearby households with children, said the officials.
Under the present law, personal information of those who are convicted of sex crimes against minors under 13 is open to the public only at district police stations. A growing number of violent sexual assaults on children has recently put pressure on the government and judiciary to get much tougher with sex offenders.
“The limited access to the sex offenders’ identities has not been effective in giving information to parents of young children,” said Im Eul-gi, an official at the ministry. “But the new measures will have far-reaching effects, considering the nation’s highly advanced broadband network.”
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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