Justice ministry seeks to prohibit sex offenders from living near schools

Jan 27, 2023, 09:30 am

		0
Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon takes a sip of water during a briefing on the ministry’s plans for this year held at presidential office in Seoul on January 26, 2023./ Source: Yonhap

AsiaToday reporter Kim Im-soo

The Ministry of Justice plans to push for legislation of the so-called “Korean Jessica Act,” which prohibits high-risk sex offenders from living near education facilities such as elementary, middle, and high schools, after they are released from prison.

Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon gave a briefing to President Yoon Suk-yeol on the ministry’s five main projects for this year at the presidential office on Thursday.

The ministry plans to submit a revision to the Act on Electronic Monitoring to the National Assembly for approval in May. If passed, the law would bar sex offenders from residing within 500 meters of a daycare center, kindergarten or school, going out except specific time period, and contacting with persons under the age of 19.

The Jessica Act, which is in effect in 42 states in the United States, prohibits sex offenders from living within 510 meters on average from places where children gather, such as schools and parks. The Korean Jessica Act is designed according to domestic circumstances. The target of this new law will be limited to those who have repeatedly committed crimes or committed sex crimes against children under the age of 13.

The Ministry of Justice expressed its willingness to take a hardline stance to organized illegal activities by interest groups such as labor unions. The justice minister vowed the “zero tolerance principle,” saying, “There are frequent cases of ignoring law and order, such as illegal collective acts taking the national economy and public inconvenience as hostage, deterrence of physical force in executing warrants, and dissemination of malicious false information.”

Yoon ordered the justice minister to establish a legal administration system suitable for the global standard. “The legal administration that supports the economy is the most important,” Yoon said.

#Justice ministry #sex offenders #revision #Korean Jessica Act