Korea's most notorious child rapist imprisoned again for breaking curfew

Cho Doo-soon, one of the nation's most notorious child rapists, answers reporters' questions at the Suwon District Court in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on March 11.

Korea's most notorious child rapist, Cho Doo-soon, was put in prison again Monday after receiving a three-month term for wandering outside his home at night in violation of a 9 p.m. curfew imposed on him.

Cho, who spent 12 years in prison for kidnapping and raping an 8-year-old girl in 2008, left prison in December 2020 and moved into a rented home in Ansan's Wa-dong district amid strong protests from neighborhood residents.

In December, Cho was indicted again for leaving his house and wandering for some 40 minutes, violating the curfew that bans him from going out after 9 p.m.

On Wednesday, the Ansan Branch of the Suwon District Court said the curfew imposed on those wearing electronic tracking devices is aimed at protecting people from criminals and even a single violation should not be taken lightly.

"The effects the defendant's crime had on regional policing and administration are large," it said.

Cho was immediately imprisoned after the ruling.

During a hearing last week, Cho claimed he left the house after getting into a fight with his wife. He pleaded with the judge for leniency, saying he doesn't have the money to pay fines with his basic government subsidies.

Yonhap