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| Elementary school students go to school in the morning. Korea Times file by Lee Han-ho |
By Lee Yeon-woo
Kim Geun-sik, an infamous child rapist, will be prohibited from leaving his house in the morning when school starts after his release on Oct. 15. Kim, 54, has served 15 years in prison for raping 11 minors in 2006.
According to legal circles, Sunday, the Seoul Southern District Court accepted the prosecution's request to extend Kim's curfew hours from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. The initial curfew had been from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
This new measure is to prevent any possibility that Kim might try to commit a crime against children or teenagers heading to school in the morning.
Additional measures have been added. If Kim fails to secure stable housing, he must live in a place designated by his probation officer.
Kim is also obliged to report the details of his whereabouts ― including destination, period and reasons for leaving ― to his probation officer and obtain permission before traveling or visiting other regions outside of his residential area.
Earlier, Kim was given special measures to follow after his release: the nighttime curfew, no access to facilities for children and youth, and 120 hours of a psychological treatment program.
However, the Ministry of Justice requested further measures, as the public living in areas where Kim had committed crimes before felt anxious.
Kim was imprisoned in 2000 for raping a minor and released in May 2006. After only 16 days, he raped 11 minors aged nine to 17 until the police arrested him in September.
Ministry of Justice has promised to watch Kim closely by assigning him probation officers right after his release to prevent repeated crimes and to relieve public anxiety. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will also disclose his photo and address in the government-run sex offender registry system (www.sexoffender.go.kr) on the day of his release.
